Crossroads
by maxigrumpling
Summary: Edward's been trained to take over Daddy's business but wants to be a musician. Bella's been groomed to be a good wife but wants a career. Granted 3 months to 'get their heads in the game' before returning to take up their places in society they find themselves at Camp Crossroads. They leave with only one goal. Defying mommy and daddy and living lives of their choosing. AH AU HEA
1. Chapter 1

_**Prologue**_

Born into a life of privilege and new money Edward Cullen had the world at his feet. Size eleven for those who are keeping score. His future had been mapped out since he was a sperm in his father's nut sac and he knew it.

Groomed from birth to be his father's successor Edward grew up in a shadow so large, and so scary to a little boy that he struggled to see the sun from between his father's knees even after he surpassed him in physical height. Smothered by a mother who planned and strategized every play date and party invitation, and who vetted every child he wished to spend any time with, he emerged from childhood as a shy, mistrusting teenager with no free will of his own.

As an only child – his mother citing that she'd produced perfection on the first try so a second try wasn't necessary – Edward didn't have the benefit of a sibling to play with or to whisper with at night in the dark. What he did have was twelve different nannies over the course of fourteen years. And from them he learned some colourful ways to describe his parents, his mother in particular. He didn't bother becoming attached to any of the dozen women who stood in for his social climbing mother, he knew better than that. He made bets with his driver how long each one would last and by the time he'd turned ten he began to win those bets, placing his winnings into a jar that he had hidden behind a forbidden packet of sweets in his bottom dresser drawer. He even began to predict what they'd leave over. For Nanny Jane (when he was ten, his first win) it was being yelled at for folding his school shirts in a way that muddled the creases. She'd lasted just four months. For Nanny Beth (when he was eleven) it was having a crystal vase thrown at her head for chewing gum and for Nanny Elsa (when he was thirteen) it was for allowing him to watch ESPN when he should've been practising his vocabulary. Neither of them had seen out a year. They came and went and Edward began to envy their retreating backs and their freedom to call his mother a bitch, impossible to please and his very favourite parting shot of all, a blood sucking parasite from which there could be no escape. Nanny Rhonda had been his favourite and at almost fifteen he'd liked her rack, so her screeched insult had stuck with him fondly.

His last two years at high school had been particularly difficult for the gangly Edward. He'd reached his adult height of six feet two inches but had remained at his tenth grade weight. He was tall enough for basketball but was never allowed to play. He was keen to try other games, especially football, but his mother would never give her permission. He was attractive enough for the girls to swoon whenever he was near but knowing he'd never be allowed to actually socialise with them the invitations to social events dried up when they were constantly refused.

He was smart enough to be invited to join all manner of clubs but none of them were likely to advance his business career once he took over daddy's real estate development business, so they were deemed folly by his mother.

So when he graduated from high school he was a tall, skinny nerd with no friends and he'd never joined in anything extracurricular.

There had never been any discussion about what he'd study at college, or even a discussion about whether or not he'd attend a college. He'd go close to home and study business. No discussion required.

He was allowed to take only business related classes and he was expected to excel at them all. Anything he found tricky, or heaven forbid difficult, he was provided a private tutor for. Therein reinforcing his isolated existence. There never had been any room for average and failure was a dirty word in the Cullen household.

Not allowed to live in a dorm at college he was ferried back and forth to classes daily by the family's endless stream of hired drivers. There was no time for the social aspects of college life either. When his peers were off getting laid and getting drunk Edward was at piano practise or was sat in front of yet another life coach. When he should've been out trying to breech a hymen or two he was stuck inside the Cullen compound learning how to ask for champagne in conversational French.

The ink on his business degree wasn't even dry when his parents announced he'd be starting at the family firm the following Monday morning.

It was in the back of the limousine on the way home from the graduation ceremony that Edward's normally accepting nature began to falter. It was as he was handed the key to his new corner office that the first crack in his psyche began to appear.

It was in the senior staff mensroom on his first official day of work that his tie became too restrictive and his chest began to tighten. With his head between his knees and a sweat breaking out on his upper lip he began to seriously worry that if he didn't get out of the life he was living he was going to go steadily insane. An hour later his therapist agreed.

It was in his father's home study that very afternoon that he was granted three months to 'sow his wild oats or whatever it is you think you should be doing'.

Four days later he was sitting in first class with his first ever beer in his hand on his way to Melbourne, Australia.

* * *

Isabella Swan started out life as the 'spare'. Hoping for a boy, Isabella was somewhat of a disappointment to her parents when she arrived without wedding tackle.

Blessed with an older sister Isabella was still denied the benefit of a playmate growing up and was sent away to the same exclusive, prestigious boarding school that her sibling had attended. Mary Alice, ten years older and having already drunk the Kool-Aid, couldn't understand why Isabella didn't enjoy the structure and discipline of her childhood years away at school. Mary Alice had thrived amid the deportment and elocution classes and took her future as seriously as her mother did.

Renee Swan was determined that her girls would make good matches and set about moulding them into perfect Stepford wives from birth. With a significant head start on Mary Alice' education she found Isabella lacking in all the things her older sister excelled at.

Disruptive and argumentative Isabella fought her mother and her teachers at every turn. Elementary school was just 'something she had to get through until the serious business of middle and high school came along' according to her mother. Only allowed home for holidays and very special occasions Isabella saw more of her homeroom mistress than she did her own mother and found that by the end of her time at school she didn't really miss her parents all that much and did not look forward to going home.

Academia was a waste of energy for a girl whose only goal should be to make the right kind of marriage according to the Swan parents. But Isabella craved knowledge. She enjoyed the challenge of math problems and the excitement of science and literature. Given no encouragement to excel at anything other than perfectly good posture and a rounded vowel sound when speaking Isabella secretly studied when she was awarded free time. Which wasn't often.

She was caught studying inappropriate things like geography and history one too many times by her mother during the brief period she attended a school close to her home and was swiftly sent to yet another boarding school that specialised in turning out ladies rather than thinkers.

When Isabella was eight and Mary Alice was eighteen and was formally presented to society Isabella was dragged along that summer to watch each of the social engagements that were planned down to the last sandwich triangle by their mother. Hopeful that the pomp and ceremony of the rituals would spark some interest in the younger girl Renee was distraught to catch Isabella hiding under a white linen draped table reading Chaucer instead of meeting and making small talk with the other society girls and boys. She was promptly enrolled for another year at the finishing school far away.

When Mary Alice turned nineteen Isabella was aghast to learn that she'd accepted a match made by her parents to one Jasper Whitlock. From a fine family of his own, and five years older again, he was already well on his way to becoming a lawyer with a knack for unravelling the intricacies of water tight wills that contained codicils.

Mary Alice was pleased with the match and felt an instant spark between her and her new fiancé when they were introduced. Isabella's distain for the whole arrangement puzzled Mary Alice considerably, but she adopted the opinion that her mother shared on the eve of her wedding that Isabella was too young to realise how lucky she'd be to make such a match herself.

Isabella's disinterest in the wedding of her twenty year old sister to a most eligible bachelor was seen as more than enough reason to yet again enrol her at a different boarding school, this one designed specifically for grooming young ladies who were the daughters of royalty and the rich and famous.

Puberty was a nasty business for Isabella. Not least because she was away from her mother and had to deal with it alone at school. She was already tall for her age and she felt even more awkward when breasts emerged and made her feel top heavy. The arrival of menstruation was treated as just something else a young woman must endure by the teachers at the school. Taught to fear it and the mess it could make of fine fashion and the interruption it could cause to social situations, Isabella began to loathe having been born female. She hated ribbons and the awful bows her mother made her wear in her hair as a small girl and she fought the makeup and jewellery her mother, sister and all her peers in the dormitory insisted she wear when she got a little older. Isabella wanted to wear sneakers and hoodies like the girls who went to a local public school, not knee length dresses and cardigans with pearls. She wanted to dye her hair three different colours and have her nose pierced, not sit through hours of lessons on how to achieve the perfect bonnet of curls using a hair straightener and what length of pearls went with what length dress. She wanted to read romantic literature and learn about sex and love, not sit with the girls in her dorm and study the gossip magazines looking for fashion tips and how to perfect a Hollywood pout.

High school was seen as something that must just be 'endured' according to her mother and she learned of her enrolment in yet another boarding school just the day before she was due to begin. She was shipped off with a stern reminder that appearances meant everything and that she would be expected to do justice to her family name, as well as carry herself in a way that would benefit her finding a decent husband.

The value of test scores on report cards was practically nil compared to the importance of lists of extracurricular activities printed on the back of them. Prearranged by Renee all of Isabella's effort was channelled towards popular pursuits like social clubs and volunteer programs that would enhance her overall appeal to prospective husbands. She wasn't allowed to go out for debate teams or anything that would give her real world experiences.

Now at a co-ed school she could see the boys around her who were deliberately pushed to make good grades and she didn't understand why she wasn't. They were encouraged to participate in sports and games and were given the freedom to be social despite the fact that they too would be expected to make good matches later on. Girls from her social group were encouraged to look pretty, speak nicely and be mindless zombies without an opinion of their own. This did not sit well with the rebellious Isabella. She wanted what the boys had. She wanted a career, not babies and to keep house. She wanted choices and to be able to make decisions for herself based on information and experience. She wanted to know who to vote for when she turned eighteen because she understood the policies of those who were running for office, not because her husband told her who he needed her to vote for to better his business prospects. She wanted to experience other cultures and travel to other countries but that was out of the question for a woman of good breeding until she made a suitable match and could accompany her husband on such trips. She began to understand that experience of anything that wasn't directly related to trapping a man was something she was never going to be allowed to gain for herself.

With Mary Alice happily married and living the perfect life her parents had wanted and expected of her Isabella seemed a much bigger disappointment to her parents. When an acceptance letter to a prestigious university arrived with the Swan households post that disappointment turned into outright fury and she was recalled home before graduation to explain herself.

Having applied in secret Isabella had been sure that once she explained how badly she wanted to go her parents would relent. She'd felt sure that her happiness would be their ultimate goal and that if she could convince them that college and a career would make her far happier than being a wife and mother would they'd come to their senses and agree to her attending the college of her choice.

It was a very short discussion. She would not be attending business college, or any other college for that matter.

She was told in no uncertain terms that no, she wouldn't be attending. No, she wouldn't be pursuing a career and yes she would begin the social season with her peers on time, on track and she would do it with a smile on her face whether she liked it or not.

Crushed into submission by the weight of the expectation of her parents Isabella had no choice other than to agree. Her eighteenth birthday signalled the beginning of their search for a husband for her. Presented to society on her father's arm at a gathering that included senators sons, doctors sons and the privileged and spoiled sons of businessmen Isabella did as she was expected and attempted to smile through the ordeal. Introduced to Jacob Black, the son of Governor William 'Billy' Black and bound for political life himself, Isabella did her best to at least appear interested when they were given a chance to speak to one another.

Jake, as he preferred to be called, was a conceited, arrogant asshole who made Isabella's skin crawl with his well practised lines and false compliments. Jake didn't seem to notice or care what her opinion was but he was very impressed by her calm demeanour and by her looks. She'd make pretty babies he thought once he'd delivered her back to her father safe and sound.

Her calm demeanour was nothing to do with accepting her fate. It was all about the death of dreams and an ache in her heart for more. She'd lost that most precious of commodities, hope.

Their engagement eighteen months later was announced publicly in the newspaper and in private by Jake who hadn't bothered to ask Isabella herself, as was the protocol. He'd negotiated the union with her father, his own father weighing in when necessary. It hadn't been all that necessary because both sets of parents knew each other very well and all concerned agreed that the match was perfect for everyone involved.

Nobody asked Isabella what she thought. She didn't want to be married to anyone but most especially to Jacob Black because she thought him pompous and greedy. But most of all she wanted the decision to be hers.

They had been in the same room together just eleven times between their first meeting and their engagement party that was held on the lawn at her family home. They had never been alone, not once, and had never spoken about anything personal at any time. A long engagement was settled on to accommodate Jakes very busy schedule as he made his run for an election and in a way Isabella was both grateful and disappointed.

Grateful for the eight months she'd been granted to still be Isabella Swan and disappointed that for eight months she'd have to dread what was coming.

Her spiral into depression began the day after the engagement announcement and saw her sitting on the edge of her bed, knees drawn to her chest, rocking back and forth silently. Within five days she was vomiting the contents of her stomach after every meal and at the end of the month she had what everyone around her assumed was a nasty bout of the flu.

Her shaking body and hands began to be noticed at meal times and her pallid and drawn features were commented on at a social engagement six weeks later.

Sent off to the doctor 'just to be sure' she was prescribed something to calm her nerves. She took the entire contents of the bottle within minutes of having them in her possession and was found, foaming at the mouth, on the floor in her private bathroom an hour later when a maid was sent to investigate her absence at dinner.

Her mother assured her father that their daughters fragile constitution was directly related to the stress surrounding the impending marriage and that it was nothing he should worry about overly. Her sister assured their parents that Isabella would be fine once she was married and settled, after all she'd been nervous before marrying Jasper and look how that had turned out. Her doctors assured them all that that was bullshit.

The arrival of her sister at her hospital bed did little to boost Isabella's spirits and the appearance of her very concerned mother left her physicians in little doubt that without a break from them all she was very likely to continue on the downhill run toward a total mental breakdown.

Unable to consider such a thing with the wedding date announced and invitations being printed her parents reluctantly agreed to send her away once more.

And so, with just five months to go until she was to become a wife Isabella Swan found herself on a plane, tucked under a thick blanket in a fine first class seat clutching her passport to her chest and bound for Down Under.

* * *

_**Chapter One**_

A bus met the two passengers from that flight, and two more from another that arrived just minutes later. Their luggage was stowed in the back of the little minivan and while the sleepy, jetlagged faces pressed against the windows it wound its way through the city, out the other side and through the suburbs towards Crossroads.

They made two shorts stops to collect three more passengers and then they continued on into the quiet stillness of the mountains.

September in Victoria Australia was still cold, especially up in the hills to the East. The flight had landed just after dawn so the higher the bus travelled into the mountains the more fog laid across the road ahead. When the steepness of the mountain levelled out the bus turned off the main road by a large sign stating the direction of the camp itself. 'Camp Crossroads' it said in big black letters. 'Find your path when you come to the Crossroads' is said in a smaller font underneath.

Isabella found herself wondering how many miles there were in eight kilometres and Edward wondered how much longer he'd have to wait before lighting one of the illicit cigarettes he'd purchased before boarding the plane.

"Welcome to Camp How to live up to your Potential," the burly guy sitting in the back seat groaned as they passed by the sign.

There were no gates to contain the property and Isabella found that surprising. She'd taken in very few of the details of her latest banishment. She'd ignored the information because she'd been sure she was being sent away to meet with new age therapists who could prepare her mentally for a marriage she didn't want. She'd assumed she was being sent to a private sanatorium but the property the bus stopped at looked more like a swanky health spa than a nut farm to her.

Edward too was surprised by the relaxed look of the camp. He'd listened when it was described to him and had to wonder whether his father had actually ever laid eyes on it as he looked around what he could see from the bus. He thought he was coming to a corporate conference centre, not a spa retreat. That was how it had been portrayed to him. A place where his father had sent groups of employees for team building exercises and management courses. He was supposed to be there to learn ways to deal with corporate stress but it looked more like a holiday camp to him.

A very tall, very blonde woman greeted the passengers as they trudged from the bus and into the bright morning sunshine. Announcing herself as Rosalie Hale, and as the director and manager of the camp she did a quick head count and then asked the small group to please leave their luggage for the porters and to follow her into the reception centre.

Still clutching her passport to her chest Isabella followed close behind Rosalie. Thinking the best way to do well there was to make a good impression Isabella stuck close to the director. Edward waited until the six others had fallen into a line before joining the end of it. He wasn't bothered about appearances; he was tired and cranky from the flight.

Ushered into a large room inside the reception centre they were offered tea, coffee and all manner of cakes and biscuits after their long journey. Very few were consumed by the very weary travellers. Asking the group to take whatever seat they'd like Rosalie set about imparting the little bits of information they'd need to get through their first day at the camp.

"Four out of the seven of you are probably horribly jetlagged so for you today will just be about settling into your rooms and getting some sleep," she said kindly as she began to hand out a folder to each visitor. "For those that haven't travelled quite so far feel free to explore the grounds." She moved to the front of the room and took a small remote control from the lectern that had been pushed to one side. After pressing a button the white screen on the wall lit up and displayed a large map. "Inside your folder you'll find a copy of this map but I'd like to run through it just quickly before you all run off," she told the group. "Now, we're sitting on around a hundred acres here so there's plenty of space if that's what you're looking for," she began. "You'll find there are very few structures or routines here, so if you come across an activity you'd like to take part in just join in. or if you're after a more relaxing stay with us you'll find there are many quiet places to lose yourself. Think of it more as a retreat than a camp," she said encouragingly. Turning back to the map she began to point to various markings. "Where the bus is parked is the only way in and out of the property so the buildings and their distances marked on your maps are all in relation to the front of the camp. The building we're in right now houses the administration offices and we have a visitors centre too so if anyone is expecting visitors that's a good place to arrange to meet. We have a small medical clinic should anything befall anyone or you come down with something, but it's best to alert a staff member as soon as you can if that happens. Our doctor is only part time but can get here in just a few minutes if we need him out of hours. We've also got a small convenience store that opens out to the back for emergency bits and pieces like toothpaste and aspirin and things but we also have a few snack foods and things like newspapers and cigarettes for those of you who smoke. Its open only during the day and you'll find a list of the times in your folders. There is no smoking in your cabins or in the dining hall but feel free to do as you please in any of the outdoor spaces or under the awnings by the gym and pool. We have a permit for alcohol to be consumed on the property but we don't sell it here. Unfortunately the liquor store won't deliver, and the local takeaway food places won't come this far out, but there is usually someone heading into town and they aren't above being bribed to bring something back," she chuckled. "There are two pubs in town and you'll find details for their opening and closing times in the local business directory in your cabin. Same goes for the supermarket and places like the hairdressers and the pharmacy. Now, the food here. The dining hall splits the camp in two as you can see," she motioned towards the screen and the group nodded as one. "On the left hand side of the camp is the corporate sector and on the right is where you'll be staying in the private cabins. Everyone eats in the central dining hall so you'll be mixing in with the corporate pirates," she chuckled. "Nothing is out of bounds to either group and you'll share the use of the pool, gym and the spa area. The opening times and information about how to book services for the health spa are in your folder. The dining hall is open day and night though there are specific meal times. Outside of meals feel free to take advantage of the snacks and drinks in the chiller cabinets in the main dining room. They're refilled every morning so take what you like. Please don't feel that you have to eat in the hall for every meal if you don't want to. There are kitchenettes in your cabins if you prefer to cook for yourselves but you can just as easily go into town if you'd like. There aren't any rules about that so come and go as you please. All I ask is that you sign in and out so if we need to do a head count for any reason an absence can be counted," she said kindly. "Any questions before we head over to the cabins?" she asked.

Isabella had about a hundred questions buzzing around in her brain but didn't have the energy to actually voice them. Where were the shrinks offices located? Where would her therapy be conducted? How many group sessions was she expected to attend? How often would her parents be calling to check in on her and had they given their permission to come and go as she pleased? What was the legal drinking age in Australia and if she wasn't a citizen there could she drink without getting arrested?

Edward had no questions. He was away from his normal life and that's all that mattered to him. That and lighting his first ever cigarette and finding the nearest bed.

No questions were posed so they walked as a group, Bella right behind Rosalie and Edward bringing up the rear. Winding their way along the shrubbery lined paths Rosalie pointed out the various amenities. "That's the dining hall," she said pointing to the left of the path at a huge building encased almost entirely by glass. "The gym, pool and spa are down a little further at the end there," she said as they continued along the path. "Friday nights we show movies in the gym and Sunday afternoons there are organised games for anyone interested."

"Games?" the big guy directly in front of Edward asked in a similar accent to Rosalie's. "You mean Monopoly and shit?"

Turning and scowling at him Rosalie shook her head, "No, not Monopoly and shit," she huffed. "Games, physical games. Basketball and volleyball. Sometimes soccer and if we get enough takers we'll run an indoor cricket game."

"Cool," the big guy grinned and turned to Edward as they walked. "You up for sports, dude?" he asked.

Edward had no idea if he was so he shrugged. Whether it was what the big guy wanted to hear or not Edward didn't know, but he turned around and kept walking all the same.

"Keep in mind as you're moving around, especially at night, that we're surrounded by the bush here. We often get kangaroos and wallaby's in the open spaces and we've seen a snake or two, so don't stray from the paths once it gets dark," Rosalie informed the group. "The lighting is automatic, so don't worry, but stick to the paths is my advice."

The path wound around to the left behind a grove of tall trees and then a small grouping of cabins came into view. Reading from her clipboard Rosalie began to assign the visitors their cabin numbers and their keys. "Isabella and Angela?" she asked and handed over a key each to the two girls and told them they were to share cabin one. "Emmett and Edward?" she asked next and handed over a key each and informed them they would be sharing cabin number two. Ben and Tyler were given the keys for cabin three and the last lone female, Jessica, was given the key to cabin number four and told that her roommate had been delayed and would be arriving the following day. "Go on in and I'll come around and answer any questions you've got," Rosalie told them as the pairs began to make their way to their assigned accommodation.

There was nothing exciting about the cabin for Isabella. She'd lived two thirds of her life away from her home and was quite used to unfamiliar places and people. She'd been forced to share with roommates from the age of six so the awkwardness that she should've felt just wasn't there for her. It was for Angela though.

Being the more confident of the two with the situation Isabella held out her hand and introduced herself. "I'm Isabella," she announced, producing the nice rounded vowel sound her mother would've approved of.

"Angela," the other girl said softly as they shook hands. "I'm a bit nervous," she admitted as the two women began to look about the place. "This is my first time away from home."

Smiling knowingly Isabella could sympathise. Her first time away at school had been awful. Never truly comfortable anywhere at all she knew how to fake it well. "I usually unpack right away," she told her fellow inmate. "I like to put familiar things in my line of sight," she suggested. "It helps," she said with a soft smile.

"Great idea!" Angela exclaimed and went to check out the rooms that were out of sight.

The cabin was similar in its layout to some of the dorm rooms Isabella had shared at boarding schools and so she settled in quite quickly. True to Rosalie's word a porter had delivered her luggage and after allowing Angela to choose which of the two small bedrooms she wanted Isabella emptied the contents of her single suitcase into the provided dresser in the other bedroom. She was a dab hand at unpacking. She stowed her things in the same places, and in the same order, that she had in dorms all over the world. It made packing it all up again at the end of her stay easier. Between the two bedrooms was a bathroom and Bella put her meagre toiletries into one of the two drawers available. There was a washer and dryer beneath a counter in the bathroom so she took a few minutes to familiarise herself with those before taking her carryon bag back into the communal room. It was one large room with a kitchenette at one end and a living room at the other.

Angela came out of her room and into the living room smiling. "I'm all unpacked," she giggled and Isabella thought that she might just be proud of herself for having achieved that small task. "I came off an international flight," Angela said as she began to look for somewhere to plug in her phone. "I hope you don't think I'm rude but I need to sleep for a bit."

"I don't think it's rude at all," Isabella said as she stared at the wall socket in despair. Her cell wasn't going to plug into it either. "I've been awake for thirty nine hours now so I won't be far behind you," she said as she put the phone down with a shake of her head. "We'll have to ask about an adaptor later," she mumbled as she made her way to the doorway of her bedroom.

"Yeah, later," Angela agreed as she too went towards her bed. "Sleep well, Bella," she mumbled as she crawled beneath the sheets.

"You too, Ange," Isabella all but whispered as she slid into her own bed. She'd never been allowed to shorten her name before and she quite liked the way Bella sounded she thought as she closed her eyes.

Edward wasn't given a choice which of the two bedrooms he wanted to occupy because Emmett, who as luck would have it was the big guy with the grin from the conga line, claimed the one on the left without discussion.

He darted through the little cabin excitedly before snatching up his duffel bag from the living room floor and choosing a room for himself. Edward stood in the centre of the room and just stared. He'd never seen anyone that big move that fast before. He barely had the energy to walk let alone skip about like the big guy was.

He was just about to take his own suitcase into the other bedroom when the big guy came back out and stuck his hand out in front of himself. "Edward, right?" he asked. "I'm Emmett but everyone calls me Em so I'll call you Ed. You a smoker?" he asked, nodding toward the pack Edward had put on the counter as he'd come inside.

It had felt so rebellious while he'd stood in front of the counter at the airport and asked for them. It had seemed such a grown up thing to do, to buy cigarettes knowing how socially unacceptable it was these days. It had been a whim and now that he'd been asked about it he didn't know whether to admit that or to lie and say he was a long time indulger. "I think I want to be," Edward said with a shrug when he couldn't think of an appropriate response.

"A rebel, that's cool," Em had shrugged. "You'll have trouble getting that brand here," he said as he took a pack out of his jeans pocket. "These should be a pretty close match though," he said, tapping his own pack with his finger. "You one of the ones who came in from an international flight?" he asked in a rush.

"Yeah," Edward managed to mumble before Em was off and running again.

"Cool," Em shouted again as he went back into his room. "I'll unpack and let you get some sleep. Jetlags a bitch." Edward thought that was the end of the conversation and went into his own room. As he began unpacking Emmett's booming voice came through the connecting wall loud and clear. "So you're a Seppo, right?"

"A Seppo?"

"Yeah, a septic tank."

"Um, I've no idea what that is," Edward said, confused.

"Oh," Emmett laughed. "Septic tank, a yank, an American."

"Um, yeah," Edward agreed though for the life of him he'd never heard the term used before.

"Cool," was Emmett's only comment, and one he seemed to like to use frequently and so Edward let it go at that. He was a Seppo and apparently that was cool.

It was Edward's first ever time living away from home and he found the entire experience thrilling. He could choose for himself where he put his things. He could mix socks and shirts in a single drawer if he wanted to and he could spend every day and night in casual clothes if he felt like it. He could sleep late and eat food that was bad for him. Hell, he could drink whatever he wanted whenever he wanted and he could smoke! He could hardly wait.

He explored the bathroom and placed his electric razor on the counter and stared at the socket on the wall. Nobody had told him the plugs weren't going to be compatible. For the first time in his life Edward stared at himself in the mirror and wondered what it would be like to not be clean shaven by breakfast every morning. Grinning to himself he slid the shaver into the drawer.

Thinking back to what Rosalie had said about the animals that were likely to be out and about Edward moved back into the living room. "Do you think that snakes would come indoors here?" he asked as he watched Emmett tipping his duffel bag directly into the top drawer of the dresser without bothering to sort anything into piles.

"I suppose they would if it's cold outside," he replied idly as he threw a tattered magazine onto the bed along with an ancient toothbrush and a comb that had seen better days. "It's usually spiders that'll turn up in the shitter but I guess snakes'll go for your bed or something if they're cold."

"Is that all you brought with you?" Edward enquired, looking at the three items on the bed and the half drawer of clothing.

Shrugging Emmett bounced onto the bed and took the magazine into his hands. Flicking through it quickly he came to the page he was looking for and turned it around so Edward could see. "With funbags like this who needs anything else to keep them warm at night?" he chuckled and turned the book back around to stare at it.

Edward had never seen a girly magazine and so he cringed at the picture he'd been shown. Turning and going back into his own room he stripped the bed covers back to the foot end of the bed and did a thorough check before climbing into it. Lying there, sleep already doing its best to claim him, he thought about what Emmett had said. Seppo, shitter and funbags were new words. He didn't like the idea of spiders at all and snakes terrified him, but for some reason Emmett's easy going nature was kind of appealing in a roommate.

The last thing he heard before falling gratefully into sleep was Emmett leaving the cabin and wishing him a good sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. **

**Please review. **


	2. Chapter 2

It was dark when Edward woke. It was also deathly quiet. There was no noise coming from the other bedroom which meant Em was either sleeping or he wasn't there. Rolling to his side and squinting to read the time on his watch Edward figured he was sleeping as it was three in the morning.

Not wanting to wake him by having a shower he threw on a sweater over the clothes he'd slept in and slid his feet into his shoes. Moving out into the living room he realised the TV wasn't an option with the noise factor and neither was the radio. Finding his cell in his carryon bag he cursed silently to see that its battery was flat and useless for reading. He found his charger but, as with his shaver, the plug wasn't going to fit so instead he snatched up the pack of cigarettes, Emmett's lighter, his information folder and his key and went outside.

A security light came on when he stepped out the door and he winced at the sudden brightness. The dining hall lights were still on beyond the trees but the rest of the camp looked to be in darkness.

He left his belongings on the small table under the awning of the cabin and then made his way down the slight slope to the hall. Inspecting the contents of the chiller cabinets he chose a danish and made himself a strong cup of coffee. He took an extra danish in silent rebellion to his mother's rules and went back up the hill to his cabin.

The coffee was good and the danish sweet enough to take the edge of his hunger. He'd not been able to eat on the plane because of his nerves and after fifteen hours of sleep he was ravenous. He polished off the first danish in just three bites and sat back with a grin. Take that, mother!

Opening the folder he laid out all of its contents and began to sift through it. He studied the map for a few moments then put it aside. There was another smaller one with emergency exits and fire gathering points on it and yet another that showed the relation of the camp to its surrounds. The nearby town was tiny. Just a main street with a few businesses, all surrounded by bushland with the main road snaking through the middle. Isolated and quiet but close enough to suburbia should he wish to check that out. Just as he'd hoped.

The sheet of local business adverts listed an Indian takeaway, a fish and chip shop and a noodle bar. All things he'd never eaten before. His eye was caught by the advertisement for the bakery and he wondered if that's where his pastry had come from. There was the hairdresser, supermarket, liquor store and pharmacy that Rosalie had mentioned as well as a veterinary clinic, bookstore, a music studio and store, a printers and stationers and last of all a real estate agency. Reading the blurb on that ad made his body shake.

He had six years of business school under his belt and another two of real estate development. He had two degrees that he hated and a future using one or both of them that made his gut clench to think about.

He shoved the pages back into the folder and closed it. After another sip of his coffee he reached for the pack of cigarettes. He tore the plastic from around it and then took one out. He sniffed along it and then slid it between his lips. Leaning forward to shelter it from the slight breeze he lit it and sucked. And then he choked.

Great wracking coughs came from deep in his chest as the nicotine made its way into his system. The smoke made his eyes sting and his nose run. Holding the offending stick away from his body he tried to take deep breaths which only made the coughing worse. Leaning forward he braced his hands on either side of the chair and swallowed over and over and managed to get the coughing under control before he woke the whole damn camp with it.

He took another drag, a shallower one, and inhaled the smoke more carefully. This time he held it in his mouth as long as he could and then blew it out over his lips. The taste was bitter, very bitter, and not anything like he'd imagined it to be but he took another drag all the same. Leaning back in his chair he closed his eyes and held the smoke in his mouth before letting it out of nostrils like he'd seen so many men do before.

"Is it awful?" a soft voice whispered, startling him.

Peering through the haze of smoke and out beyond the scope of the security light Edward could only just make out the shape of a body. A female body by the sound of the voice. "It's not awful," he chuckled truthfully. The taste would take time to get used to but the feel of it in his fingers and the rebellion it represented felt wonderful. "Do you want one?" he asked, reaching forward for the pack and holding it out in front of himself.

Isabella wondered if she did. Stepping forward she motioned toward the empty seat opposite the copper haired man and after he nodded she sat in it, being careful to keep her knees together as she'd been taught. "I don't know if I want one," she whispered, conscious of the quiet cabins around her.

"I didn't either," Edward admitted before taking another drag and blowing the smoke out quickly so he could keep speaking, "I bought them in the airport before we boarded and thought I'd give it a try." He flicked the pack across the table and watched it spin to a stop in front of the brunette who'd come out of the shadows. He recognised her from his flight but hadn't caught her name when Rosalie had been pairing them up earlier. "Try it if you want," he nodded towards the pack and sat back against the chair.

Staring down at the packet Isabella wasn't sure. "Why did you buy them if you weren't sure you'd like it?" she asked so she wouldn't need to make a decision.

"That's a very good question," Edward grinned as he threw her a tip of his head. "It was an act of rebellion," he told her with a wink.

Isabella understood rebellion. She had never been brave enough to actually make a stand before but she'd thought about it plenty. Snatching the pack off the table she tapped one out for herself and then looked across at Edward. "I have no idea what I'm doing," she giggled.

Edward didn't either really but he was quite enjoying himself none the less, so he imparted what advice he could. "Just rest it on your lips a little," he coached. "Don't suck too hard," he warned as she was about to light it.

Before she could Emmett's booming laugh rent the air. "Man!" he bellowed, "If I didn't know you two were talking about smokes I'd swear you were talking about blowjobs!" he cackled as he came into the light from the path that led away from the cabin.

Groaning in embarrassment Edward shook his head at his roommate. Isabella blushed so red she thought she might be able to light the thing without the aid of the lighter and use her body temperature alone!

Sensing their embarrassment Emmett told them both 'sorry' with a shrug and sank down onto the ground, resting his back onto one of the poles that held up the awning. He took a cigarette out of his own pack and after Isabella had lit hers, and began to puff very daintily, he took his lighter from her and lit his own.

"Isn't this a nice little party?" he chuckled quietly and leaned back against the pole, raising his knees.

Edward watched him as he drew in the smoke and then let it out slowly. "What do you think?" Edward asked as Isabella puffed on hers.

"It's pretty awful," she said with a smile. But as an act of rebellion went it was a good one she thought as she puffed a little again.

"Where were you coming from?" Edward asked Emmett. "I was being quiet because I thought you were in bed."

Raising his eyebrows comically Emmett nodded over his shoulder towards the entrance to the camp. "I had to see a guy about some _bait_," he chuckled, the emphasis of the word bait. "Met him in town and stayed for a drink or twenty," he grinned. "You're Isabella, right?" he asked, nodding towards their guest.

Caught mid puff Isabella choked a little and could only manage a nod for the first few seconds. "I think I want to be called Bella," she giggled, raising her eyebrows at Edward. "Act of rebellion," she said more softly with a wink of her own.

"Cool, I'm Em," Emmett said casually and took another drag himself. "This guys Ed and it's obvious that you're another Seppo," he chuckled.

Edward stepped in because he knew this one. "He means you're American," he chuckled and drew a little more heavily on his cigarette before letting the smoke out slowly, like Emmett had.

Bella had never heard the term Seppo before either but she agreed that yes, she was an American too. "It's nice to meet you both," she said quietly. "I don't think I'm going to be much of a smoker," she said with a grimace and stubbed what was left of her cigarette out in the empty coffee cup Edward nodded at. "The rebellion is fun but the taste, not so much," she grinned as she ran her tongue over her teeth.

"It's not for everyone," Emmett mumbled and got to his feet. "You get that from the dining hall?" he asked Edward with a nod towards the coffee and the lone pastry and when Edward agreed that he had he asked if the others wanted anything before he took himself off to investigate what was on offer.

Edward continued to smoke and thought that perhaps he might make quite a good smoker himself. Lighting another from the end of his first he drew the smoke in and took a better look at the woman sitting across the table. She was strikingly beautiful but he'd known that from seeing her on the plane. What didn't seem to fit was her sadness. Her eyes were dull and she only smiled when rebellion was mentioned. How could such a beauty be so sad he wondered as he stared at her? "Why are you here?" he blurted out. She met his gaze with wide eyes and he apologised for being so blunt. "My parents sent me here because I couldn't handle the pressure of my first day at my first job," he shrugged, hoping she'd open up if he did first. "They gave me three months to get my head in the game."

Lifting her chin she looked him in the eye. "My parents sent me here too," she said sadly. She brought her hands up out of her lap and sat staring at the garish diamond on her left ring finger. With eyes cast down she mumbled, "They said I needed a rest before I get married. They gave me three months too."

"So it wasn't your choice to come here?" Edward asked more interested in the sadness in her voice and on her face than the actual answer. He knew all about not having choices and to him it seemed as though she could be doing with a little rebellion in her life, even if smoking wasn't going to be her thing. "Do _you_ think you need a rest before you get married?" he asked.

Nobody had ever thought to ask her what she thought before so the question hung between them unanswered for quite a time. Strangely the silence wasn't awkward for either of them.

Edward was thinking that for the first time ever he could make his own decisions, even if it was only for the three months he'd be at the camp.

Bella was thinking that she had better make the most of the three months she'd been given to get herself prepared for the marriage.

When Bella did speak next it was very quietly and with her eyes on her hands that had gone back to being clasped in her lap. "I didn't ask to come here, I was sent. And I don't think I need a rest before getting married," she admitted. "It's not about being tired," she added defiantly at the end.

Thinking about that for a moment Edward began to smile. "So don't rest," he said simply and when Bella looked back up he smiled again at her confused expression. "I'm serious," he said. "If you don't think you need a rest before you get married don't rest. Only you can say when you're tired," he said, knowing instinctually that what she was telling him was more about the marriage itself than being well rested enough to go through with it. He'd seen the desolation in her eyes before. He'd stood in front of his bathroom mirror every morning and seen that same dullness, the same frustration and that same lack of hope in his own eyes. He didn't want to be a business man and he knew without being told that Bella didn't want to get married.

"That simple, huh?" she chuckled.

"I don't see why not," he laughed and took another cigarette from the packet. "Like these things," he said holding the smoke out for her to see. "I decided I might like to become a smoker, so I have. If you aren't tired don't rest. Simple," he told her, hoping she'd see through the words and understand what he was trying to tell her.

She understood perfectly. He was telling her not to do something she didn't want to do.

It made perfect sense to Edward. To Bella it seemed just a little too easy a solution.

"Choice is a nice concept," she said dully. "Pressure is a dangerous thing," she said pointedly as she stared at him. "I hope becoming a smoker relieves the pressure you're feeling about your job." Rising from the table she brushed down her skirt and smiled at him over the table. "Thank you for the little slice of rebellion, Edward," she said. "I'd better go and shower before the therapists smell it on me in the morning." With that she turned and moved back into the shadow of the night.

Ignoring the comment about pressure and his job because he already knew that nothing was going to be able to save him from what he was going to return to, he leaned back in his chair and lit the cigarette. Edward thought about what she'd said as she was leaving. If there were therapists in the camp and they wanted to see him they were going to smell the smoke on him because he had no intention of hiding the pleasure he had gained from the simple act of making a decision for himself.

Taking the danish off the table he devoured it in quick time, put the remains of his latest cigarette between his lips and then put his hands behind his head.

That's where Emmett found him when he returned to the cabin with a tray full of food and drink. "Mate, you look like James Dean sitting there," he chuckled as he put the tray on the table and took Bella's freshly vacated seat. "I got a bit of everything, beer makes me hungry," he shrugged and selected an enormous slice of chocolate cake from the tray.

Watching Em polish off the entire slice Edward put his hands on the tabletop and leaned in. "Next time you go to town for a drink can I come to?" he asked.

Eyeing Edward warily he cocked his head to the side while he finished chewing. "How old are you, mate?" he asked. When Edward answered that he was twenty five Em nodded happily. "You ever been drunk?" he asked next but wasn't surprised by the shake of the head he got in reply. "You got your own cash?" he asked as he chose a long sliver of apple strudel.

"No," Edward replied. He hadn't thought to ask for any from his parents because he'd been told that every eventuality was covered by the camp fees.

Emmett thought on that stumbling block for a second and then smiled. "I'll spring for the first slab," he said.

Edward had no idea what a slab was but was grateful to be having one bought for him none the less.

* * *

Even with only four hours sleep under his belt, and despite his early morning festival of cake and pastry, Emmett ate heartily at breakfast the next morning. At the same table Edward consumed another danish and made his way through muesli and a coffee in the same time it took his roommate to eat four eggs, toast, three strips of bacon and two cups of black tea.

Bella was ravenous so she opted for an omelette, toast and some fresh fruit and coffee. She'd been brave and had asked to share the boys table and was very happy when they'd agreed that she should join them. She'd brought Ange with her and had made introductions quite confidently she thought. She was shocked to see what Em consumed but found his affable personality a welcome relief from the total silence of breakfast at her home.

"What's on the agenda today, ladies?" Emmett asked as he finished off his tea.

"I don't know yet, I haven't been given my schedule," Bella replied.

"I'm heading straight for the gym," Angela piped up between bites of her croissant.

"What about you, pretty boy?" Em asked Edward.

Scowling at the term pretty boy Edward shrugged. He had no plans for the first time in his life and was looking forward to spending a lazy day recovering from the rest of his jetlag. "Whatever happens, happens," he said when it didn't look as though Em was going to be satisfied with just the shrug. "What about you?" he asked in return.

With a sinister grin Emmett stood from the table and collected his dishes. "Walk with me, mate," he suggested to Ed, and to the ladies he wished them a good day. When the two boys had disposed of their dishes they went outside and Em suggested they go back to the cabin for a smoke and a chat.

Sitting across from one another, a cigarette dangling from each of their mouths, Em began to outline his plans for the day. "I've been thinking about your cash flow problem," he said matter of factly. "I think I've worked out a way to get what we both want."

"What is it we both want?" Edward asked cautiously.

Grinning around his cigarette Emmett leaned forward and beckoned Edward to do the same. "There's no point going back and forth to town all the time in taxis," he whispered conspiratorially. "That'll just eat up the drinking money before we even get there. So we'll go into town today and buy a few things and we'll set up our own still right here at camp. We'll sell half what we make," he said seriously, "and that'll give us some cash flow to buy more supplies to keep up with demand. The other half we'll drink ourselves. Sorted." With that he sat back triumphantly and grinned at his own brilliance.

"A still?" Edward asked, shocked but impressed by the ingenuity.

"Yeah, a still. I think you lot call it moonshine," Em chuckled.

"I believe so, yes," Edward agreed. "And you know how to make a still?" he asked.

"No, but I watched every single episode of M*A*S*H so I know how it's done. How hard can it be?" Emmett asked as he reclined in his seat.

* * *

After breakfast Bella headed for the administration block with her appointment book clutched firmly in her hand. She'd made some notes about things she wanted to ask so she made her way to the main reception desk and asked for Rosalie. Asked to wait in an office she ran over the things she needed to know and tried to wait patiently.

Ten minutes later Rosalie joined her and took her seat behind the sprawling desk. "I hope you slept well?" she began as she took Bella's booking sheet from a folder on the desktop.

"The cabins are lovely, yes," Bella replied. "I have a few questions if that's all right?"

"Ask away," Rosalie replied, waving her hand so Bella knew it was no trouble at all to be having the impromptu meeting.

With her pen poised beside the first item on her list Bella steeled herself, "Where will I find the therapists offices? They aren't marked on the map," she asked first.

Furrowing her brow Rosalie took in the demeanour of the woman opposite for a second before looking down at the profile page on the booking form. She'd answered to her name at the initial roll call so she had the right person for sure. The booking had been quite ordinary and because Rosalie had taken it herself she knew that whoever had made the booking understood what kind of facility they were paying for. "Um, you are Isabella Marie Swan, aren't you?" she asked, just to make sure. When the woman nodded she looked back down at the form before looking back up again. "You have a list of questions, right?" she asked and when Bella nodded she sat back in her chair and folded her hands in her lap. She was quite confused. "Do you mind if I have a look at your list? It'll be quicker, I think," she said calmly while all the while she was struggling to work out why this woman thought she was at camp to undergo therapy.

Bella happily handed over the list. Rosalie read down it quickly once and then returned to the top to read it again. She couldn't quite believe what had been written and instantly began to feel desperately sorry for the woman opposite.

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question before I answer these?" she asked when she'd read the list through twice.

"Of course," Bella replied, still determined to be a compliant inmate if it would help her get through her time at camp easier.

"Why did you come to Crossroads?" Rosalie asked quite simply.

It was the second time Bella had been asked that question and thought on it for a moment before answering. Rosalie was the director and manager of the camp so she would be reporting to the therapists so Bella decided she had better tell the truth this time. "I'm not living up to expectation," she mumbled. "I let my parents down and I'm being punished for it. I'm not right," she shrugged. "Mother says I should be happy to have made such a good match. She's worried I'll sully the family name if I don't perform inside my marriage correctly, so she's sent me here to correct my behaviour."

Rosalie listened intently and by the time Bella had finished what sounded like a very well rehearsed speech she had a clearer picture of where the mix up had occurred.

"I think it was your mother I spoke with when the booking was made," she said, looking down at the form for the name. "Renee, that's your mum?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am," Bella replied formally.

"I'm not a ma'am," the director smiled. "Please just call me Rose. I think there's been a bit of a miscommunication here," she said as she slipped the form back into the folder and shoved it aside. "This isn't a self help centre," she told the clearly confused woman. "There aren't therapists, schedules and structures here. You can do as little or as much as you like, but there aren't classes and courses."

"But what will I do with my time?" Bella all but moaned. There had never been a time when she didn't have a clear outline of where she needed to be and when.

"What would you normally fill your days with?" Rose asked, leaning back in her seat casually.

Thinking on it a moment Bella began to list her obligations. "Well, now that I don't go to school I have a voice coach and a deportment tutor. I take dancing lessons and our chef always insists on me being present when the evening meal is prepared. There is usually a dress fitting or a wardrobe consult depending on my what things are on my social list, and then there are the sewing, decorating and flower arranging lessons. Sometimes I have to have lunch with my sister or my mother and sometimes I have to visit with my grandmother."

Stunned, shocked and appalled Rose could hardly contain her anger at what she'd been told. No wonder the poor girl looked so lost and seemed so lifeless. She would too if she'd been forced to live some sort of 1950's perfect-wife life.

"I see," she said eventually. "And if you didn't have all these obligations and lessons what would you _want_ to do with your time?" she asked.

"Want to do?" Bella asked with raised eyebrows. Since when did want factor into any equation? She knew exactly what she wanted, but wanting it and getting it were two very different things. Once again figuring that total honesty would be the only way to make the best impression Bella told the truth. "I want to go to college."

"And what would you study there?" Rosalie asked.

"Accounting," Bella answered instantly. She didn't need to think about that at all. She was good with numbers and she loved the challenge of finding errors in column after column of figures.

Smiling Rosalie leaned forward, "Have you ever made a choice for yourself before?" she asked simply.

"Just twice," Bella whispered in reply.

"And they were?" Rosalie prompted.

Raising her eyes Bella smiled at the memories. "I swallowed an entire bottle of depression medication and spent a blissful week in the hospital where my mother and sister weren't allowed to visit," she said triumphantly.

Rose wasn't surprised to learn that the girl thought of that decision as a triumph but she was keen to learn what the other choice had been and so she asked.

This time Bella smiled widely. "I smoked a cigarette last night," she all but giggled.

That answer was a surprise to Rose. She'd seen girls like Bella come and go so many times. They'd arrive broken and lost and leave confident and headstrong with clear plans and aspirations. This girl didn't seem any more or less lost than some of the others had and she hoped that Crossroads was going to work its magic on this one too.

"I was serious when I said this isn't a self help centre," she said firmly to a nodding Bella. "But, this place does have a way of helping people all on its own. You have three months here. There are no classes, no lessons and no schedule. I saw you this morning at breakfast, you were sitting with three others and you were all talking and laughing. You could spend these months making some friends and having some fun and then, at the end, if you choose to go home and follow the path your parents have set down for you then that is what you'll do. But, I want you to think about something while you're here. If this is the only time you're ever going to have to freely be who and what you want to be, do you want to waste that chance?"

Bella was already shaking her head before Rose finished the question. Her mind was spinning with all the possibilities open to her now. She wouldn't have to attend therapy sessions. She wasn't going to be monitored and her progress wasn't going to be reported back to her mother. She had free reign over the money she'd been given as she'd left and she had no restrictions on her time. She couldn't wait to begin. She thanked the director for her time and made to leave but was called back before she could exit the office.

"A couple of questions on your list were relevant," Rose laughed as she opened her top drawer. She took something from within it and moved to Bella at the door. "Tell the others I have more of those if they want them," she nodded towards the adaptor she'd placed in Bella's hand. "And there isn't anyone here you're forbidden from socialising with. When you're dragged to town, and you will be, just remember to drink lots of water before you pass out."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. **

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	3. Chapter 3

The supermarket was a revelation to Edward who had never set foot in one before. He was ruing the decision not to ask for money before his trip as he walked the aisles and spotted all manner of delicious and very forbidden delicacies he'd quite like to try. Denied sweets as a child he liked the look of almost all of them barring, the aniseed flavoured treats. He began to hope that Emmett could pull off not just the alcoholic achievement of the moonshine process but also the money making end of the project as well.

He browsed the snack food aisle with interest too. Pretzels looked interesting as did the varying flavours of crisps available but what really caught his eye was the popcorn. Coloured sugar filled packs lined the shelf and seemed to call to him. The salty variety made his mouth water and the buttered versions made him want to fall to his knees and worship the brightly coloured packages.

He'd only ever been to a cinema once, when he'd been fourteen and he'd been allowed to attend for educational purposes. A Shakespeare adaption had been required viewing for his English class and he'd been charmed by the entire experience within seconds of arriving at the theatre. The darkened auditorium had been wonderful, the movie itself spectacular but the popcorn had been sublime. He'd gorged on it and had charmed another half bucket out of the girls sitting in the row behind his simply by batting his eyelashes at them. The stomach ache he'd had that night had been totally worth it and as he stood staring at the packets of microwave corn now he could almost taste their salty goodness on his tongue all over again.

"Good call," Em said loudly with a clap to his back as he reached for a package. "There's a microwave in the cabin and this stuff is good for midnight munchies," he added as he threw in another packet for good measure.

Edward hadn't even heard his roommate approach but he was pleased that he'd thought popcorn was a good purchase. Unable to contribute monetarily Edward was grateful for whatever treat he was going to be allowed to share.

Asking Edward to take control of the trolley –Edward assumed that was what he knew as a cart – Em skipped down the aisles and threw in all manner of things while Edward pushed. Sodas and crisps joined crackers and huge blocks of chocolate.

When they came to the baking aisle Emmett threw two giant bags of sugar into the cart along with what looked to Edward like molasses, but bore a label stating it was syrup. He added a big bag of ordinary salt into the cart and then moved on down the aisle again.

"Do you care whether we make rum or cider?" Emmett asked as he held up a package of yeast.

"I've never had either," Edward admitted. "What's easiest?"

"Rum," Em grinned and threw the package into the cart. "Cider takes longer and we'd need a shitload of apples," he said matter of factly before beckoning Edward to follow into the next aisle.

They walked right through the next aisle adding just one thing, a candy thermometer, but when they got to the last aisle, the hardware one, the cart filled up fast.

Emmett added a stove top kettle, three plastic thermos flasks, a basic plumbing repair kit and what looked like pipe joining clamps. He threw in two of the biggest glass jars he could lay his hands on and a long thin tube of silicone calking. He stood in front of the camping accessories for quite a while and eventually, after reading the backs of several packages, added a small single burner camping stove and a box of three butane canisters to the cart.

To Edward it looked as though he knew what he was looking for. Had he known his roommate better he'd know to ask questions, but he didn't, and so he continued to think that Emmett was not only interesting but highly intelligent.

"That's all we can get in here," Em announced and the two boys made their way to the checking counters. The total was enormous and Edward felt bad that he had nothing in his wallet other than his ID.

With it packed into plastic carry bags they loaded it all into the cart once again and then pushed it down the street towards the liquor store. Edward waited outside because had no money and no idea what he'd buy even if he did. When Em came out he had a cardboard box of bottles balanced on one shoulder and a carrier bag with clinking bottles in his other hand. He dumped both into the cart and then nodded down the street towards the pharmacy. "Next stop tubular heaven," he chuckled as Edward pushed the now very heavy cart along the pavement.

Once again Emmett went into the store and Edward stayed outside to guard their loot. He was back in just five minutes with a small coil of clear plastic tubing in his hand and a cheeky grin on his lips. "One more stop," he announced as he nodded even further up the street.

This time he ducked into a house, not a store. He was inside for just two minutes before coming back out with another coil wrapped around his arm, this time it was copper.

He dumped that into the cart and then withdrew a cell phone from his jeans pocket and made a hasty call. Five minutes later the two boys loaded everything into a taxi and were headed back to camp.

Edward was confused but impressed, Emmett was eager for a smoke, a drink and to have his roommate flopping around on the ground drunk for the very first time. Life was good for Emmett McCarty.

* * *

Arriving back at her cabin with an overloaded brain and a fluttering heart filled with newfound hope Bella upturned her carryon bag onto her bed and located her purse. Pulling the wad of notes from it she fanned them out and looked down at them with a grin. She had three thousand Australian dollars and she was quite possibly allowed to spend it on whatever she chose. A quick mental calculation and she had it separated into twelve equal piles each of two hundred and fifty dollars. She had twelve weeks at camp and she could spend one pile each week. She didn't need to buy food or drink, she had enough toiletries to last at least half her stay and all the amenities at the camp were prepaid.

If what Rose said was true, and Bella wasn't at all sure just yet, then her time was going to be her own. At least for a few days at the outset. She didn't know what reason the director would have to lie about that, but with the absence of a therapy centre and nothing in what she'd read in the folder pointing to the camp being anything other than what it appeared to be she had to work fast if she was going to get away with even a little bit of what she had planned.

She had no doubt that her mother's need and ability to control every nuance of her life would stretch as far away as Australia, so that might mean she'd only have one or two days to achieve her meagre goals before Renee's tentacles strangled her once more.

Reaching for the information folder she'd been given the day before she tipped its contents out too and found the local business list. There was a taxi company listed who would collect her from the front gate and deliver her back again in good order and she couldn't imagine that the eight kilometre each way trip was likely to cost too much.

She located her date planner and her pen and began to make notes about which of the businesses she wanted to visit and the days and times they were open. First stop was going to need to be the hairdresser and after that the supermarket and then the liquor store. That would more than likely eat up her allotted money for the week but the excitement she felt about that one simple trip far outweighed her need to be frugal with her allowance.

She'd need to go further afield to buy clothes but she could always research the distance between towns once she had a better idea how much the first taxi trip cost.

She pulled the handset to the camp's provided phone into her lap and dialled the hairdressing salon. She made an appointment for the following afternoon and then dialled the taxi service. She booked a car for midday and wrote the reference number she'd been given in her planner.

Happy with her little plan she tucked everything back into her carryon bag and stowed it back in the lockable cabinet beside her bed.

Ignoring the cell phone charger adaptor Rose had given her she made herself a cup of coffee and did as Edward had done during the night. She took the cup outside and settled into one of the chairs under the awning, quite pleased with her plan.

When Angela came back from her gym session she nodded towards Bella's coffee and said she'd join her once she'd had a quick shower. True to her word she came outside cup in hand, fifteen minutes later with wet hair and a grin from ear to ear.

"It's gorgeous here isn't it," she said as she took the seat opposite Bella.

"It sure is," Bella agreed, looking down towards the flat expanse of bright green grass that spread out to the side of the cabins. "Good workout?" she asked.

"Excellent," Angela grinned. "Sorry I slept so long this morning, jetlag doesn't agree with me."

Bella began to giggle. "I actually snuck out at about three," she admitted. "But I wish I'd woken you up to come too."

"Oh, really?" Ange asked with raised eyebrows. "Where did you end up then?"

"Next door," Bella said with a toss of her head towards cabin number two. "The two guys from breakfast this morning were sitting on their porch smoking. It was a lot of fun."

Ange cringed at the idea of the smoking but the guys from breakfast seemed nice so she was disappointed to have missed the fun. "Don't let me sleep through the next party," she giggled as she sipped her drink. "What did you get up to while I was at the gym?" she asked.

"I went to see Rosalie for a little bit and since then I've just been sitting here in the sun," Bella told her.

"She seemed nice," Ange said of their director and Bella agreed that she was. Silence hung between them for a few moments and then Ange decided that if Bella was going to be her roommate for the next three months she'd better get to know her a bit, especially if they were going to be attending middle of the night parties together. "How come you're here?" she asked cautiously. "I mean, you seem very together."

Bella almost choked on her mouthful of coffee but recovered quickly. "I'm so not together," she giggled. Thinking back to what Rose had said she told Ange that she was there to experience life, make some friends and to have a little fun before she went home to get married.

Ange nodded that she understood the explanation and when Bella asked her why she was there her face fell just a little before she told her own story.

Angela Weber, Bella learned, was the over achieving oldest daughter of a Pastor and a housewife. Obsessed with good grades, anti social and so focused on her goal of having a perfect body and mind she'd flipped out under the pressure of finals during her second last year at college. She'd only ever wanted to be a journalist and during her time away at university she'd fallen in with a group of girls who prided themselves on upholding perfect grades while maintaining a punishing exercise regime. Desperate to feel included, and to feel accepted, Ange had pushed herself so hard she'd worn out both her mind and her body.

Her stay at camp was supposed to be a rest. She was expected to go home heavier, less drawn and with a clear mind ready to re-sit her finals.

Bella wondered if Ange spending all morning at the gym was a good idea but didn't like to ask. The other girl was desperately thin and she could see why her parents, and probably her doctors too, thought she'd benefit from fattening up a little.

She was about to suggest they go down to the dining hall for lunch when she heard her name being called. Turning towards the cabin next door she saw Em and Ed struggling under the weight of their purchases.

Rushing down the path both girls helped to bring everything from the taxi into cabin number two. Most of what came out of the car made no sense to either girl, but they both looked longingly at the chocolate and the crisps.

Noticing their interest Em suggests they all go to lunch, take an afternoon nap and then meet back in the dining hall for dinner before a well earned drink and dessert in cabin two. Both girls eagerly agree to the plan.

* * *

Eight thousand miles away on the west coast of America two families were desperate for news from their children.

Esme Cullen had called her sons cell phone every fifteen minutes for six hours before giving up and calling the camp itself.

Renee Swan had been a little more reserved, though not by much. She'd called every half hour before resorting to calling the reception number.

Both women were told the same thing by Rosalie Hale, Director. Yes their children had arrived safely. Yes the flights had been on time. Yes they'd eaten and slept and no, she didn't know where they were right then. Informing both women that it was midday in Australia she guessed at their son and daughters whereabouts when their mothers insisted, and told them they were safe and sound in the dining hall eating a very healthy, well balanced meal. She had no way to know if that were true, but she knew how to deal with difficult parents.

She listened as attentively as she could, all the while rolling her eyes, when the mothers had complained about being unable to reach the cell phones of their respective children. She explained, twice, once to each of the mothers, how difficult it was to get a cell phone signal on top of a mountain and that even if you could find one the connection was sometimes dodgy. And then she spent five minutes explaining what dodgy meant.

She hung up from the second enquiry and sighed heavily as she sat back in her office chair. She wasn't surprised that Bella had had a break down after speaking with her mother for a second time, the first being the day the booking had been made. She had no clue what Edward had come to camp for, but she could guess. Esme Cullen was rude and argumentative and far too invested in the whereabouts of her son for it to be healthy. The horrible woman had gone so far as to enquire whether or not the man's bowels had evacuated correctly after such a long flight!

Checking the sign in/out register at the front desk Rose returned to her office and made some discreet enquiries in town. A little shopping had been conducted by the two men, the women hadn't left camp.

It was her job to make sure that her guests were having a good time. It was also her job to make sure that the locals weren't being bothered by her guests. She'd recognised the 'trouble' Emmett McCarty had exuded and if any trouble was being indulged in with her newest group of visitors he'd be at the helm of the ship. She'd seen his type a hundred times.

Interestingly nobody had called to check on his welfare.

* * *

Mary Alice and Jasper Whitlock sipped their wine and ate their perfect post roast at their perfectly polished dining table in their immaculate dining room. Jasper told his wife about his day and Mary Alice hung on every fascinating word, as she should.

"Any word from Down Under?" Jasper asked as he folded his napkin at the end of the meal.

"Mother says she spoke with the director," Alice replied as she collected his dishes, "But nothing from Isabella herself."

"We made the right decision you know," Jasper reminded his wife.

"I hope so," she replied but the smile she gave him didn't quite reach her eyes.

* * *

Four alarm clocks went off at five thirty in the evening and all played the same tune as four sleepy brains came to the surface of consciousness.

Edward, having had the most sleep in his cabin out of the two roommates, got up and into the shower before Emmett had even swiped a lazy hand at the offending din of the alarm.

It was a much more organised approach in cabin one. The girls both exited their warm beds after the first peels of the alarm and while one chose her evening outfit and straightened her bed the other showered. Swapping midway saw them both showered, dressed and in the dining hall with a table staked out for the four new friends before the boys even ventured down the path.

A new corporate group had arrived at the camp during the afternoon so the hall was busy and loud. It also meant that spare tables were harder to come by so the fourth international traveller Ben, and his roommate Tyler, joined the four already seated during the meal.

Already quite a comfortable foursome the conversation was flowing freely by the time the table became six. The two new boys were talkative and were soon happily chatting away with the others.

Ben had spent his first day and night at camp with a migraine from his flight so he hadn't had a chance to see or do anything yet but Tyler had only come from a suburb at the bottom of the mountain so he'd not needed to rest at all, just like Emmett.

Ben was a football player who, because of his penchant for alcohol and partying, had never broken through into the big leagues and had been sent to camp to dry out. He'd been given one last chance by his club to get fit and to try out for the senior team.

He'd taken advantage of the pool and the gym and had already met Ange during her workout so they sat happily discussing the equipment at the camp while Tyler regaled the others with stories from his life.

He was a photographer by trade and had spent the last six months travelling around America on the campaign trail so he was full of interesting facts and more than a little gossip. When asked why he'd come to the camp he said he'd been twice before, once on his gap year between ending high school and starting his photography apprenticeship as his training was called in Australia. He'd come again two years ago after a stint covering a war torn area in the Middle East. He'd needed the down time after that trip and had spent almost his entire visit sleeping and regaining the weight he'd lost on his tour. This time, he told the group, he was there for the quiet and the sleep after another difficult assignment abroad but didn't need to pack on any pounds this time. He belied that by stuffing three slices of apple pie into his mouth in quick succession and then sitting back to pat his belly contentedly.

At the mention of the party in cabin two Tyler bowed out. He needed more sleep and to get in contact with his editor and because of the time difference he had to do that during the early hours of the following morning. So that left the four new friends and Ben who said he'd love to go, but he wouldn't be drinking anything other than water.

Spotting Jessica - the other local who'd gotten on the bus at the same stop as Emmett – sitting with yet another new girl, Em introduced himself and his posse as he called them and was told in return that the new arrival was Lauren. He asked if they wanted to join in, but they declined with a sneer.

Figuring they weren't the social types Em shrugged it off and the five who did want to attend agreed to meet at his cabin fifteen minutes later.

The night was cold, a stiff breeze swept across the open field by the cabins and made life under the awning rather unpleasant at first. But after everyone had settled in – and three more chairs and another table had been pilfered from neighbouring cabins – the alcohol began to warm the shivering bodies.

Em had chilled the beer in the little fridge inside the cabin and had explained to Ed that it was called a slab. He'd stood two bottles of wine, one red and one white in the door of the fridge and explained to Ed that they needed the corks for the still and that the girls could drink the wine if they wanted.

Taking a beer each for them the bottle of white for the girls outside the two boys then went back inside to gather some snacks for the party. Crisps were left in their bags but the sweets were tipped into two cereal bowls and stood in the middle of the little tables. The smashed up blocks of chocolate held pride of place on a sandwich plate in the centre of the boys table.

Edward offered Bella a glass of wine and was strangely pleased when she accepted it without hesitation. Angela too took a glass and both girls seemed to enjoy the taste. He watched how Emmett opened the cap of his beer by using the underside of his forearm and then did the same, proud that he'd done it without tearing a gash into his skin. The taste of it wasn't a shock to his system because he'd had one on the flight, but that had been served in a glass with a napkin wrapped around it.

This felt different as he took his first slug. This felt grown up and very, very normal. The bottle in his hand felt manly and he felt a little bit brave as he drank from it. When Em took another for himself Edward followed. When Ben reached for crisps he did too and when Emmett offered him a cigarette from his pack he took that as well.

Bella also watched those around her for social cues. She'd been given the very best education money could buy and yet she still had no clue how to behave inside a circle such as the one that had gathered at cabin two.

The men were relaxed in casual clothing and sat slung low in their seats; one knee crossed over the other at the ankle and were talking freely. That was something she'd never seen. Firstly because she'd never seen men in casual clothing, the only man she'd seen do that was her brother in law, in his own home, in his own study on a Sunday evening. And second because this group were men and women all speaking with one another.

At home social gatherings split into two as soon as the introductions and pleasantries were over. The men formed groups according to their business interests and spoke within those groups. The women gathered in another room and stayed there until the meal was served or until it was time to leave when both groups would come together again to say goodbye.

But here the group stayed as one. The men included the women into the conversation and really listened when they spoke. She'd already been asked her opinion on several things and the three men had gone quiet while she'd given it. It was thrilling.

It wasn't the glass of wine she'd consumed that made her feel warm inside, it was the company she was with and the acceptance she found quite by accident.

The camp might not be a sanatorium but in the two days she'd been there she'd already learned more and felt better than she had her whole life.

Edward found himself feeling better than he'd ever felt too and it surprised him. Sitting in the middle of nowhere with a beer and a cigarette laughing and talking with a group of people he knew very little about made him feel good.

Like Bella his experience in social situations was limited and like Bella's observation he found it strange that the men and women in this little group were all speaking with one another.

Usually he'd be forced to stand idle and silent while his father and his cronies discuss their next big business venture or their last accomplishment. His opinion wasn't asked for and when he was given the rare opportunity to give one he gave what he knew they'd expect to hear, not his actual thoughts on the matter.

But here he could say whatever he pleased. If he didn't agree with someone he could say so and he could use language here that would never be tolerated at home. He'd sworn twice already and nobody raised an eyebrow. He felt so free.

He gulped the last mouthful of his beer down before accepting another from Em and then shoved his hand deep into the bowl of sweets on the table. As he'd predicted he loved the taste of every single one of them. Especially the sugar covered jubes.

Emmett was holding court, their guests hanging on his every word. For the life of him Edward couldn't think of a single reason why a guy such as Em was at camp. He was full of life, boisterous, seemed to have no social problems or even personal problems. He was generous with his time and his money and he made friends easily.

"Why are you here?" Ed asked bluntly for the second time in as many days, breaking the thread of the conversation. "Sorry," he cringed when he realised that his question had nothing to do with the joke Ben was telling and had made the others uncomfortable. "I just figured that we've all shared why we're here, I just wondered why you were?" he asked, rephrasing the question to take the harshness out of it.

For half a second Emmett's face clouded over but just as quickly his dimples did their thing and his grin returned, but both Edward and Bella had seen the initial reaction.

Em lit another cigarette, popped another sweet into his mouth and then sat back in his chair casually. "I keep failing my final exams," he chuckled. "I'm on a hat trick," he grinned. "Slight bit of trouble on the last day of term and here I am."

It was the quickest, vaguest explanation any of them had given and it didn't sit right with Edward. "What were you studying?" he asked when it looked like the others were just as confused. "And what is a hat trick?"

Tipping his beer back Em started chuckling as he answered. "Medicine," he laughed. "And a hat trick is three wickets in cricket. Oh right, you Seppo's won't get that. Um, it means I've failed my final exams three times in a row," he said without shame and Edward got the impression he wasn't at all bothered by not passing.

"Does that mean you can't re-sit them again?" Bella asked before Edward could.

"Don't know, don't care," Emmett shrugged. "I never wanted to be a doctor anyway."

Why he'd go through the tortures of medical school then was anybody's guess Edward thought as he stared at his new friend. Emmett was the least likely doctor he'd even met but the carefree way he spoke about his failures didn't sit right with Ed. He knew without asking that Emmett had been pressured into a path he didn't want for himself too. An immediate kinship, over and above the fact that Edward already liked Emmett personally, filled the space between the friends.

"What stunt did you pull to land here then?" Ben asked while Edward kept watch for another fleeting 'look' on Emmett's face.

But there wasn't one. Just his usual sinister looking grin. "I blew up the science block," he chuckled heartily and that sparked another round of 'I did this, I've done that' from the group.

Neither Bella nor Edward had anything to contribute to such a discussion because neither of them had ever done anything at all. They listened contentedly and sipped their drinks and laughed at Ben, Angela and Emmett's retold stories of their past exploits.

Bella flicked her gaze over to Edward and watched him as the conversation swirled around and around. He had kind eyes she thought. Expressive and a lovely shade of jade. His hair was the sort of mess that looked as though it took hours to style but he didn't seem the sort to bother with all that. He wore jeans that were obviously new because they weren't creased or worn anywhere she could see even though they looked comfortable. Glancing down at her own pants she wondered whether she could feel as comfortable in a pair of jeans as he did.

As she glanced down at herself Edward had a chance to study her. She looked happier than she had the night before and there was a sparkle to her eyes. And very pretty eyes they were. A dark chocolate brown that laughed when she did.

Caught staring Edward threw her an embarrassed smile and offered to top up her drink. She said thank you and then he went inside to drain the last of the first bottle wine into her glass.

Seeing his cell on the counter he wondered how many missed calls he had from home. Sneering at it he left it right where it was and went back outside to join the party. It was midnight, mid week and he had the first stirrings of his first alcohol induced buzz going on in his body. Life right then was good for Edward.

Sipping at her fourth glass of wine Bella felt warm all over. She'd smiled more often than she had in all the days of her life to date in one night she thought as she leaned forward and had to brace her hands on the table to contain the laughter bubbling up in her throat from Emmett's science lab tale.

These were nice people. They were all very different but they were all a little the same too. Oppressed, pressured and away from home just like she was. Thinking of home made her think about how much trouble she was going to be in because she hadn't called her mother yet.

Seeing the frown on her face Edward leaned over, "Anything I can help with?" he whispered to her.

Shaking her head Bella smiled at his offer to help if he could. "I think I'm in a bit of trouble," she admitted guiltily and with just the faintest hint of a slur. "I haven't called home since I got here."

Leaning even further in towards her Edward smiled. "I haven't either," he said with a quick raise of his eyebrows, his own slur just a little more developed than hers. "I'm pleading stupidity for not checking the plug arrangement here," he laughed.

Mentally kicking herself for putting that last question on her list Bella smiled too. "I made the mistake of asking Rosalie about it and she's given me an adaptor," she said conspiratorially. "She says she has more of them if you want one."

Tapping his cigarette packet towards her Edward sat back and lit one for himself before answering. "I don't think I want an adaptor. I don't want to be contacted. They know where I am, that'll have to be enough for them," he said of his family.

Staring at his lips as he blew the smoke out over them Bella reached for the pack and took one for herself. He just looked so content as he drew on it. So at ease. So free and she wanted to feel free too. He passed her his lighter and she lit it, drawing on it shallowly like he'd showed her the night before. The taste was still pretty awful but once again the rebellious act more than made up for that.

Watching his Adams apple bob up and down as he took another drag Bella began to smile. Leaning forward and waiting until he'd done the same she whispered 'I don't think I want to be contacted either' and then sat back to enjoy the wine and the company around her.

"Em," Edward called across the table. Having gotten his attention Edward nodded towards his empty beer, "You want another?"

Emmett's loud 'shit yeah' echoed around the quiet camp.

* * *

Sipping from her coffee cup under the awning of her own cabin Rose startled at the loud comment. None of the visitors ever thought to ask who occupied the last of the six cabins at the far end of the row. Nobody ever thought to ask her to join in their fun as they bonded over alcohol, food and personal experiences.

And they always did bond. Every time. It didn't matter why they were there, who'd sent them or whether they'd come off their own backs. They always bonded, they always threw little parties and they always spent hours laughing and joking. It's why she'd built these cabins so far away from the corporate ones. It's why she'd built the actual camp in the first place.

* * *

**A/N: It seems the alert system is back up and running, so I hope everyone gets this chapter this time. **

**Thank you for reading. **

**Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

Edward was the first to fall off his perch. It wasn't a violent thing though; he just slumped to one side and slid off it like a slug.

Emmett would've fallen too if he hadn't already been on sitting on the ground. Instead he toppled sideways and clutched his sides as his new friend clawed uselessly at the concrete to steady himself.

"He's so drunk," Ben laughed, the only sober one at the party.

Angela was laughing hysterically and clutching at his arm so she wouldn't fall off her chair too. She wasn't drunk but she had a nice, warm little buzz going on all the same. It was the laughing that was making her unsteady. The situation was just _that_ funny.

Bella was horrified, worried and giggly all at the same time so the sound that came out of her mouth as she watched him fall sounded like a wounded hippo undergoing a mammogram whilst being tickled with a feather duster.

Emmett didn't know who to laugh at first as he watched a drunken Bella attempt to right an even drunker Edward. First she tried lifting him by his collar but that only made her slide to the ground with him when his weight didn't shift and hers did. Next she tried to slip her arms under his but she just wasn't strong enough to right him. Giving up she sat back in her chair unsteadily and asked for another drink. "Alcohol makes you brave and strong, right?" she asked a cackling Emmett who nodded as solemnly as he could in agreement.

"Round here they say it makes you ten foot tall and bulletproof," he chuckled.

He happily refilled her glass with what was left of the bottle of red and then moved to help Ed who was still laughing his ass off and flailing like a giraffe on rollerblades. Bella was never going to be strong enough to lift him and Em had quite a few drinks under his belt too, so the process wasn't quite so easy for him either. But eventually he got the guy onto his wobbly legs and sat him back in his seat.

Ben was the first to leave and he took Angela with him. They'd made a plan to meet in the gym early the next morning and they both knew they'd never get there if they didn't sleep soon.

The three that were left didn't last much longer. By the time Em called last drinks Edward was so drunk he couldn't form words let alone sentences and Emmett had to tip him, still clothed and reeking of stale beer and cigarettes, into his bed before walking Bella back to her cabin ten minutes later.

Bella thanked him profusely for the alcohol and for the fun and Emmett accepted it with good grace. He told her he'd enjoyed her company too and that they should all do it again real soon.

For the first time in her life Bella fell into her bed with her makeup still on and without brushing her teeth. It wasn't a conscious decision; she was just too drunk to care. She fell into sleep with thoughts of rebellion at the forefront of her mind. Rebellion and jade green eyes and a laughing mouth on a beautiful copper haired man.

Wandering back along the path Emmett spied a light on outside the cabin at the very end of the path. Only three quarters as drunk as he usually was after a party he took another beer from the fridge and gulped half of it down before going back outside and looking to see who it was that was still awake at the ungodly hour.

He tripped twice as he approached cabin six and knocked his big toe quite hard as he came to the edge of the cement where the path met the porch. "Bassstard," he slurred as he hopped on one foot, his toe throbbing like a bitch in his thongs.

"Charming," Rose mumbled as she watch the hulking body stumble up under her awning and then flop down into the seat opposite her.

"Hey, it's you Blondie," he chuckled as he tried to focus on her features. "What are you doing up here with the plebs?" he asked as he looked around.

She ignored his question and corrected his manners instead. "It's Rose, and this is my cabin," she said sternly. "Good night?" she asked as Emmett grinned over at her.

"Why yes, Rose," he said pointedly having been sufficiently berated for the use of an improper name for her. "It was a very good night. You should've joined us."

Tapping the side of her wine glass with the tip of her pen she smiled over at him. "I'm all set right here," she told him though she was a little startled and more than a little surprised that her first ever invitation to join her guests would come from Emmett McCarty of all people.

"Then you should've invited us to join you," he replied with a pout.

"You lot were doing just fine on your own. You don't need me hanging around cramping your style," she replied and took a sip of her drink when he did from his beer.

Thinking he was being dismissed by a superior Emmett stood and drank the last of his beer down in one go. Crushing the can between his palms he tossed it into the rubbish bin by her door and made to leave.

Unsure what she'd said to bother him, and she was sure she had bothered him, Rose was about to ask him to sit back down when he leaned over the small table and stared down at her with glazed, drink addled eyes. "You're so fucking beautiful, Blondie," he drawled. "Why you're sitting up here on your own I don't know, but it's a crying fucking shame," he slurred.

He didn't wait for a reply he just turned and left. She watched him weave his way back down the path and when the light outside cabin two went out she let out the breath she'd been holding.

* * *

Cabins one and two had a very slow start to the day the next morning.

Emmett, the most used to waking hungover, felt the better of the four but even that was a small win. Used to the groggy, detached feeling in his brain and the aches and pains in his body he got moving far easier than his roommate did.

He took a long shower and shaved as best he could with his shaking hand. He dressed in his usual uniform of t-shirt, jeans and thongs and was sitting in front of the TV when Edward made his sleepy appearance an hour later.

Still dressed in the previous nights clothes with his hair sticking out in all directions the guy looked wrecked. Telling him to shower but warning him not to attempt to shave yet Emmett got busy making some coffee. He might be a dab hand at shaving while still way over the legal drink driving limit, but Ed was likely to slit his own throat.

Twenty minutes later Edward came out into the living room looking better but feeling like death itself. "Why did you let me drink so much?" he whined from a croaky throat.

"I'm not your mother," Emmett chuckled and handed him a coffee and a beer. "Don't turn your nose up," he laughed when Edward tried to decline the alcohol. "It's called hair of the dog that bit ya and you'll thank me for that," he said, nodding towards the bottle.

Edward figured Em knew what he was talking about because he looked perfectly fine and he'd drunk just as much if not more than he had the night before. He downed the beer first and as it fought for the right to expel itself from his body he drank the coffee to rid his mouth of the taste. Sliding down onto the sofa he put his pounding head into his hands. "Oh Christ," he moaned as Emmett took the TV off mute and settled in to watch the morning news.

"All the best nights are followed by an 'oh Christ' the next morning," Emmett laughed.

Angela was late meeting Ben and Bella still hadn't made an appearance as she ran down the path towards the gym.

Woken by the sound of the door closing Bella opened one eye at a time and squinted against the morning sunlight that streamed into her bedroom through the gaps in the blinds. "Oh Christ," she mumbled as she clutched at her head and tried to sit up without vomiting. It was only now that she thought about Roses advice and regretted not drinking about ten gallons of water before she'd fallen asleep.

Moaning long and hard as she got to her feet she waddled into the bathroom and tried to work out who the person was staring back at her from the mirror. Her mascara was muddled under both eyes and made her look like she'd been in a fight. Her hair looked as though a family of crows had tried to build a nest in it and her teeth felt furry and filthy.

Ignoring her long ingrained habit of conserving water she stood under the shower for forty minutes and tried to make her brain and shaking hands work. Washing her hair and body hastily after giving up hope that the hot water would wash her hangover away she exited the shower and towelled dry. She slid into the most comfortable clothes she owned and ran a brush through her tangled hair. She swallowed two aspirin tablets and as much water as she could stomach and then went in search of her partners in crime.

She found them on the sofa in cabin two and was pleased to see that at least Edward looked about as bad as she felt. She did her best to decline the offer of a drink but was talked into it by Emmett after listening to him explain why it was a good idea. The wine tasted bitter and it was warm from having been left out on the counter overnight but the coffee he shoved into her hand when she'd finished the glass washed away the taste well enough.

"Can you two stomach breakfast?" he asked and chuckled when they both said no. He left them in the cabin with instructions to keep drinking water and made his way down to the hall to pick over what was left of breakfast for himself.

Sitting side by side on the sofa Edward and Bella watched the mid morning news in silence and Emmett found them still there, sound asleep in each other's arms three hours later when he returned with a tray of pastries.

"Rise and shine my little party animals," he bellowed, scaring the hell out of both of them. "Daddy's brought you some lunch," he told the frantically scrambling pair as he laid the tray on the table in front of the sofa.

Bella was mortified. Edward had fallen asleep not long after she'd sat down but he'd been sitting bolt upright at the time. She didn't know how long she'd lasted but it couldn't have been very long. Why she'd woken with her head in his lap and his hands in her hair she had no idea either but she was horrified to be found that way by Emmett.

Edward was ecstatic. He'd laughed and joked his way through the night with his new friends. He'd been so drunk he'd had no idea how he'd gotten into his bed. The hair of the dog had cured his hangover and he'd woken with a gorgeous girl in his lap. Once again he'd come up trumps. He understood Bella's embarrassment but didn't feel it himself at all. It was a perfectly innocent thing and he was quite happy with his lot in life right then.

"I'm starving," Edward admitted as he tore open a piece of strudel and began to munch on its sugary contents. "What's the time?" he asked Emmett who was hovering by the kitchen counter with a slice of pie in his hand.

"Nearly midday," Emmett told him and asked if he wanted a soda.

Bella shot off the sofa so fast she stood on Edward's toes. "I've got to go!" she yelled as she went out the door. "My taxi will be here any minute," she called as she ran back towards her cabin.

"Wonder where she's off to," Edward mumbled around his second piece of strudel.

* * *

Bella was off to town and Rose watched her leave through her window in the administration block with interest. She wasn't quite as immaculately dressed or nearly as poised as she had been the two days previous and Rose put that down to last night's partying.

Good for her Rose thought as she put her head down and got on with the accounts.

She liked to watch her private guests blossom. She liked to watch the slow, steady emergence of their true personalities. She liked that the camp had a way of turning the shy, scared and sometimes broken children into self assured and confident adults.

It wasn't fool proof and there had been times when even Crossroads couldn't turn someone's life around. When it looked as though a little nudge was needed or her guest just wasn't settling in she could rely on her team to get them through, or pull them through if needed, but sometimes even a team of professionals couldn't help someone who was beyond helping themselves.

Sometimes the guests who came to stay were just too far gone by the time they arrived. Whatever they'd suffered left scars too deep to mend or what they were returning to was impossible to avoid. And sometimes she had guests who simply didn't want to be helped. She took those failures personally. But mostly her hit rate was pretty good. Better than ninety percent she guessed as she shoved aside the accounts and opened her web browser to type Emmett's family name into Google.

Emmett hadn't wasted the three hours that his new friends slept away that morning. Oh no, Emmett wasn't a time waster. He might fritter some of it away on social excursions or even devote some of it to frivolous pursuits, but everything he did had a purpose attached to it. He never did anything that felt like a waste.

That morning's reasoning was money and alcohol.

After a hearty breakfast he'd taken a promenade through the camp grounds. It might have looked like either mindless exercise or a man with nothing to do, but Emmett was on a mission.

His stroll took him beyond the gym and the health spa and across the other side of the camp to where the corporate cabins were located. He stood by the edge of the lake and seemed to be taking in its beauty. He looked in the windows of the Conference Centre and stopped off at the convenience store to buy some gum and to ask where the public toilets were located. He wandered across the playing fields and stopped by the grove of trees that edged the back of the private cabins. His amble took him almost to the main road and he made a deliberate show of walking around each of the garden beds there, even stopping to read the names of some of the flowers.

Rose watched with interest as he did. She hadn't pegged him as a garden enthusiast, nor a flower lover. But there he was, bent over a rose bush sniffing at the petals of a late bloomer.

She watched him make another circuit around the circular beds and then as he disappeared around the corner of the administration block before returning her attention to his name on her computer screen.

Emmett made his way back along the path outside the dining hall and stopped to 'chat' with two of the kitchen hands who were waiting by a roller door to accept a delivery. And then he went around to the very end of the dining hall building and stood under the awning where the public-use restrooms were located. He took note of the padlock on the janitor's storeroom beside the toilets and then he went back to the roller door and waited until he spotted a kitchen hand with his arms full, and who wouldn't care too much if he asked to borrow some tools to fix his bike.

Emmett didn't have a bike but the kitchen hand didn't know that. And just as Emmett had hoped his arms were too full for him to care too much about the request. Learning there was a tool box under the counter in the back of the storeroom that he was welcome to use; the kitchen hand went back to carting his very heavy produce into the kitchen.

Finding the small bone saw in the toolbox Emmett slid it up the sleeve of his shirt and clutched the pliers openly in his hand as he went back to the janitor's storeroom. He made quick work of the padlock and slipped the broken pieces of it into his pocket and then calmly put the saw back into the toolbox. He made sure to thank the kitchen hand on his way back out.

He did his best to hold in his chuckle at Edward and Bella asleep on the sofa in the living room when he made his way back to the cabin. He stuffed all his odds and ends into his duffel bag and slung it over his back. Whispering 'sleep tight my hungover pretties' on his way out he shut the door quietly behind himself and went back down the hill to assemble his still.

* * *

Bella sat in the salon's black leather chair and smiled to herself. She'd had nothing done to her hair that would look different to anyone else, but she felt different for the experience. She'd been shampooed and conditioned and she'd had a treatment put in her hair to ward off split ends. She'd had just half an inch cut off its length and then it had been blow dried and styled in exactly the same style she'd always worn it in. But it felt different.

It had never been about making a dramatic statement by changing the long, straight length. It was more about being able to make the appointment for herself, by herself. She could _choose_ what she wanted done and even though she'd kept the original style it had been her choice.

Just being in the salon was exhilarating. At home a stylist came to the house and Renee dictated what needed doing to Bella's hair. Here she had free reign even if she wanted nothing done other than what would normally be done by Renee's lackey. At home there was no conversation, no gossip magazine to flick through, no coffee and cookie and definitely no relaxing head massage after having her hair washed.

Bella had watched in the reflection of her stations mirror as two young girls had their nails polished in a little cordoned off section. Staring down at her own nails while her stylist finished drying her hair Bella began to wonder what it would be like to have something other than plain clear polish on them.

"You have nice nails," the stylist commented.

"I should have," Bella giggled, "My hands do nothing."

"Look at mine," the stylist giggled as she reached around and showed Bella her right hand. Her nails were short and well cared for but they were stained too. "Hair colorant is murder on your nails even if you wear gloves," she tells Bella who nods in understanding. "Jaimee will be free after those girls leave. Would you like to move over to her station next?" she asked.

Looking back down at her own hands Bella began to nod. "Yes please," she grinned.

An hour and a half later Bella walked out of the salon with pale pink nails that had hand painted daisies on them. Her hands were soft and moisturised and she'd suffered a kind of brain fade as Jaimee the nail technician had massaged from her fingertips to her elbows with rose scented lotion.

Her hair was lustrous and freshly cut and she no longer felt hungover and tired. She felt new. New and confident and when she'd handed over the cash to pay for her visit she felt grown up and proud of herself.

She located the supermarket a little further down the street and made her way there with a spring in her step.

Like it was for Edward the supermarket was a wonderful place as far as Bella was concerned. She'd been in one before but had never had the freedom to purchase whatever she pleased. The girls at school had dragged her along on a few trips but her allowance had been on such a tight leash back then she'd never really indulged in anything other than necessities. Now she could buy what she pleased.

She had just over half her weekly allotted cash left so she filled a basket with sweets and crisps to replace what Emmett and Edward had shared with her the night before. She added a few pieces of fruit and some cans of soda to stash in her little fridge.

When she got to the checking counter she asked for a packet of cigarettes that looked similar to the ones Edward had been sharing with her and then asked the girl totalling her purchases to wait a moment while she ducked back down the confectionary aisle to collect two more bags of the jubes Edward had been shovelling into his mouth the night before.

She reminded herself not to offer a tip as she paid. Eyeing the extent of her purchasing fun she decided to buy a strong cloth carrier bag and then put that over her shoulder for the walk to the liquor store. She had no idea what she was looking at when she got there. There was no way she'd be able to carry a box of beer bottles but if she bought another carrier bag she could manage two of them for the short walk to where she arranged to meet the taxi.

Deciding on two bottles of white wine and one of bourbon for the boys she paid and stood the bottles up in the new carrier bag.

She had twenty minutes before the taxi would arrive so she ambled down the quiet street and looked in every window she came across. The trinkets in the window of the pharmacy were delightful but she wasn't a trinket kind of person. The properties listed in the window of the real estate agency looked sprawling and charming but she wasn't shopping for a home. Modern music was a foreign concept so the music shop held very little fascination but the bookstore ate up the last ten minutes of her time.

Giving away the last few dollars of her allowance for the week Bella met the waiting taxi with two cheap novels in amongst the alcohol and sweets in her bags.

Edward saw her approach the path to the cabins from his seat under the awning of his own cabin. He'd showered again and had shaved successfully. He'd managed to eat some fruit and drink two cups of very strong coffee and was feeling a little more human himself as he bounded down the path to take her carrier bags from her.

"You don't need to do that," she protested, but Edward was a gentleman and she'd had to give in to him at his insistence.

"What did you think of town?" he asked as they travelled the path.

"It's tiny but it's nice," she replied, happily turning over the details of her trip in her mind. "What did you get up to this afternoon?" she asked when they got to her cabin.

"Not a lot," he chuckled as he set the bags onto the counter inside. "Slept a little more, shower, watched TV. Nothing much," he admitted as he took her purchases out of their bags. "You planning another party?" he grinned when he came across the wine the bourbon and the cigarettes.

Blushing Bella giggled, "No, not exactly," she said as she stood the two bottles of wine in the door of the fridge and set the bourbon against the splashback of the countertop. "I have to repay you guys for last night though," she told him as she flicked the pack of cigarettes towards the end of the counter where he stood. "Those are to replace the ones I keep taking of yours."

"Emmett bought the wine and the snacks," Edward told her as he spun the pack round and round with his finger. "I only had enough money to buy that one pack at the airport," he admitted. "So I'll take these, thanks."

Tilting her head to the side she studied him carefully. "There's a bank in town you know. I saw it just now. I'm sure you can arrange an international money transfer from there. I can loan you some cash until that's sorted," she said kindly, making Edward blush just a little.

"I can't take your money, but thank you," he told her as he moved towards the door to leave. He was uncomfortable with the conversation and didn't want to admit that he'd used his 'winnings' from his bets with his drivers over the years to fund his cigarette mutiny. "I gotta go," he said hastily. "Em wants to show me something."

Bella stared at the space in the doorway where he'd been and shook her head. He was the strangest man. Carefree and open one second, closed off and almost frightened the next. Leaning over the countertop she watched him through the window as he walked down the path and along it in front of the dining hall. When he disappeared around the end of it she went back to unpacking her things.

Keeping the packets of jubes aside she put everything else into the little pantry and stowed the bags in a drawer. With an hour and a half to kill before dinner she took her new novel outside and made a start on it in the little bit of sun that was still doing its best to fight the cloud cover.

* * *

Reading the family biography on Google didn't do much to put Rosalie's thoughts in a better order concerning her guest. In fact it threw up more questions than it answered.

The McCarty's are quite a prominent Melbourne family with ties to charities and society clubs and groups all over the state.

Emmett's father is a well respected Cardiologist with private rooms in the city and a resume that included testimonials from royalty. Emmett's mother is a socialite whose picture had appeared in so many newspaper editions and magazines that the image list went on for three full pages on Google.

He has a younger sister who had recently graduated from Latrobe University and there is a picture on her profile page as well as a brief article about the two degrees she'd earned, Biochemistry and Molecular Biochemistry.

As far as the family biography was concerned the short listing stated that mum and dad were high flying sophisticates, the sister was near genius level and Emmett had been tacked on the end as 'the long-studying older brother of Gemima'.

How condescending Rose thought. He was a man in his own right and he'd been tacked on the end as though he was the poor cousin, not the much loved and respected older son. It was just downright rude as far as Rose was concerned.

She scrolled down the page to see if there is any mention what he is studying and what 'long-studying' meant. There weren't too many specifics to be had, just a brief mention that he had been but was no longer enrolled at the same university as his sister as a medical student.

A quick, vague check on how long a medical degree was likely to take, and then a mental calculation between the ages of the two siblings, and Rose was able to guesstimate that had Emmett entered university with his peers he'd been there for nine years already. And he hadn't graduated. His younger sister had studied, graduated and moved on to the private sector before he'd finished his qualification.

Nine years. Nine years at university. Another quick check and the magic that was the internet told her that there was no Emmett McCarty registered with the medical board in Australia. That meant she could rule out that he was still studying for post graduate degrees or courses. He wasn't a doctor who was still studying to specialise. He'd never graduated.

Emmett had been at tertiary school for nine years and had never graduated.

Closing all the other browser pages down Rose stared at the original Google enquiry she'd used to find the website for Latrobe. The third result from Google jumped out at her for no other reason than it mentioned Emmett personally. Clicking on it she read the first few lines and then put her hand to her forehead.

"The stupid, childish idiot," she laughed as she looked at the accompanying picture to the article.

Emmett was at Crossroads because he'd used up his third strike at the university. He hadn't been sent for a rest so he could finally graduate next year. He'd been expelled for his part in the destruction of an entire science block on the campus grounds. If he was ever going to become a doctor it wasn't going to be by graduating from Latrobe.

Recognising it for what it was Rose sighed as she closed the internet down completely. His mother had made the booking for him and she'd used a credit card in her own name to pay for it. Emmett hadn't sent himself to camp to get his shit together; his parents had shipped him off in frustration.

Rose had a sinking feeling that he'd been excommunicated from the perfection that was the family McCarty. Like so many of her previous private guests Emmett wasn't welcome in his family because he didn't fit inside it. He was different and different sometimes meant unacceptable to those who could afford a stint at Crossroads.

* * *

The man in question was on his knees sniffing at the clear liquid that was slowly dripping from the end of a length of copper tubing that was poking out rather suggestively from the spout of a drink thermos.

"Smells pretty strong," Em told a sceptical Edward.

"Is it supposed to?" Edward asked as he backed away to give Em more room to move inside the tiny storeroom.

"Yeah, course it is," Emmett chuckled as he turned the heat up a little bit on the camping stove, "The stronger it is the higher the proof the bigger the buzz we'll get out of it."

The vapours the still was giving off were giving Edward a headache already, so he couldn't imagine what ingesting the concoction was going to do to his liver, but he was eager to find out if last night's buzz was anything to go on.

"Is this safe?" he asked as he got more and more lightheaded as the vapour filled the tiny room.

"You've got glasses on and I'm wearing gloves, we're covered," Em said so confidently Edward was almost forced to believe him. Almost. "Right. Now we leave it to do its thing for a couple of days and then we'll make some cash," he announced as he checked the connections between the lip of the kettle and the plastic tubing he'd pushed into the cork in the top of the thermos.

Edward was tempted to say 'if you say so' but kept his mouth shut. Emmett really did look like he knew what he was doing. Plus he was a medical student; they knew chemicals he thought to himself as they shoved the fuel barrel back in front of the still. Rolling the mowing machine in front of the barrel Em made sure that their set up was invisible from the door of the storeroom and then he sent Edward on ahead to check they wouldn't be seen exiting the room.

Making a clean get away was important Em told him as they walked as casually as they could up the path to the cabin. He explained that it was his 'dismount' after the science lab incident that got him in the shit, so stealth was going to be a priority for this venture.

What he didn't know, and what Edward couldn't know because he really had no idea how to operate a still and thought that Emmett did, was that the vapour that was leeching from the still at that very moment wasn't ethanol like he'd hoped. Had he done any actual research he'd know that he should've boiled his 'mash'- the syrup and water mixture – at a considerably higher temperature than what the butane burner could achieve. Instead he was making methanol. Methanol would make you blind, ethanol would get you drunk. Both would produce a spectacular explosion if conditions weren't right.

Twelve hours later, after dinner had been served and cleaned up and everyone on the grounds were tucked up in their warm beds, the butane stove sputtered as it ran out of fuel. The automatic ignition tried to relight itself, throwing a single spark. That spark ignited the methanol which in turn ignited the fuel drum for the mower. The fuel drum splintered into a thousand tiny pieces of shrapnel and turned the mowing machine itself into a further thousand tiny pieces as its oil and petrol expanded in its motor.

The resulting explosion destroyed the storeroom, blew out the porcelain fittings and fixture in the toilets next door and blew a hole in the side of the building big enough for the groundskeeper to drive his mower right through it. If it had survived the explosion that is. Which it hadn't.

* * *

**A/N: I've seen every episode of M*A*S*H too and I couldn't build a working still either. LOL**

**Thanks for reading. **

**Please review. **


	5. Chapter 5

The entire camp was jolted from sleep with the sound of the explosion as were locals in the town and further down the mountain. Animals rushed from their hiding places and darted away from the epicentre as though seeking not higher ground, but safer ground. For the ground truly shook.

Leaping from their beds the guests at Crossroads ran from their cabins, private guests and corporate ones alike.

Emmett knew instantly that he'd caused the explosion and the resultant fire. He knew that he could've hurt someone and he knew that once again he'd lived up to the expectations of his father. According to dad he was a clusterfuck and here again was the proof of it. Yep, Emmett lived up to _those_ kinds of expectations admirably.

Seeing the flames and plumes of smoke as well as smelling the awful, toxic cloud created by the mixture of chemicals and fuels, then hearing the fire alarms that were screeching incessantly, a hundred people scrambled into their clothing and dived on their information folders as they tried to make sense of which emergency gathering point they were supposed to report to.

Running like a madman to each of the private cabins it was Emmett who got the girls out of cabin one in good order and onto the path that would lead them away from the danger. He dragged Edward along with him to the next cabin along and made sure that Ben and Tyler were already on the move and then he checked on the next cabin even though its occupants had sneered at him in the dining hall that one time.

Blondie's cabin was empty by the time he got there and he was relieved for it.

When he was sure everyone on his side of the camp was accounted for and on the path to the front garden gathering point he made his way there too. He spotted Blondie on her mobile, pacing a short line back and forth just outside the doors to the reception centre. He felt bad that he'd caused her all the trouble but not bad enough to confess just yet.

If it looked like someone would lose their job, or if someone had been hurt then he'd sing like a canary. Until then he was just a guest.

The staff were well trained, of course, and by the time the fire brigade, police and investigators arrived there were two distinct groups sheltering from the smoke on opposite sides of the camp. Each group had a dozen or more staff members with them and each of those staff members had a walkie talkie so the groups were anything but silent as news made its way to guests and staff alike via those static filled connections.

As it did everywhere news travelled fast. There'd been an explosion of some sort in a storeroom at the back end of the dining hall building. There were no injuries reported and the damage and the fire had been contained to the storeroom, toilets and part of the kitchen storeroom. A few windows in the gym had been blown out by the blast and there was a bit of smoke damage to the exterior of the health spa and pool building but the first responders – the staff – had been quick enough on the fire extinguishers and the fire hoses to contain the damage to just that area.

But for two of the guests the news was old hat by the time it reached their group.

Emmett looked around himself and made sure that they wouldn't be overheard before he got down onto the balls of his toes next to his friend. "Deniability," Emmett mumbled to a stunned and in shock Edward who sat on his ass on the ground with his head in his hands. "You keep your mouth shut," Emmett told him firmly. "I bought the pieces, I brought them here. I cut that lock. I built the still. You know nothing and you say nothing," he hissed when it looked as though Edward was going to respond.

Wanting to protest and desperate to own up to his share of the blame Edward was a raging mess of guilt, remorse and fear inside and Emmett knew it.

But Emmett had been here before. He'd taken the blame for his own fuck ups his whole life and he was still standing. He wasn't quite so sure that his new friend would still be vertical though if he confessed.

"I won't lie," Edward managed to whisper from behind his hands.

"You won't have to," Emmett assured him. Putting his hand to Edward's shoulder he got down onto his haunches and squeezed that shoulder with his fingers. "If it comes out that there was anything other than gardening equipment in that storeroom then I'll confess. If nothings said you say nothing, to anyone, we clear?" he said a little more harshly than he really wanted to.

Edward was a good guy. Anyone could see that. He was as innocent today as the day he'd been born and Emmett wanted him to be able to stay that way. He had enough foolish, pretentious friends and he liked Edward's honest and easygoing personality. He liked that the guy was genuine, that he didn't want anything from anyone and that what you saw was what you got.

Sure, he obviously had some issues and shit, but everyone did. That wasn't what Emmett saw though. He saw a guy trying his hardest to break out of mummy and daddies strangle hold and have a little bit of a life for himself, even if it was only for the length of his stay.

Emmett understood strangle holds. His life had been in a vice since his birth. In fact Emmett didn't even think of his life as _his_.

He watched Edward nod sadly and decided he needed to leave it at that.

Rose was livid. Livid and worried and anxious. Livid because she'd had to stand and watch a piece of her dream go up in flames. Worried because it was the middle of the night and she couldn't logically get her insurance broker out of his bed and anxious because she really fucking wanted to. The firemen assured her the fire was out and that they'd made the building as safe as possible and warned her to get a crew to cordon it off at first light so no guest went near it. She thanked them for all that they did and then went back to pacing.

Relieved that every guest was accounted for and grateful that nobody had been up and wandering around nearby when the explosion had gone off she had to be patient and let everyone do their job, she knew that, but she didn't want to. Rose was a go getter and she'd built the camp from the ground up herself. She'd been on the end of a shovel when ground had been broken, she'd planted more than half the gardens herself and she'd painted almost every inch of every wall inside the grounds with her own two hands. If there was something that needed doing she was always the first to ask why it wasn't being done, or she was the one actually doing it.

Pacing up and down in exactly the place Emmett had seen her hours earlier Rosalie began to plot her recovery plan as the firemen wound up their hoses and repacked their gear into their truck. She thanked them for all they'd done and was grateful when she was given the go ahead to let her guests go back to their cabins.

Radioing those instructions to her staff felt good. Knowing that all the guests were safe and were heading back to their beds made her feel slightly less overwhelmed and as she watched the groups trickle back along the paths she blew out a long held breath over her teeth.

As the lights around her blinked out one after another as her guests went back to sleep Rose went into her office and took stock of her situation. Her insurance guy was local and he'd begin her claim the instant she contacted him in the morning. She could count on him for that. She'd take a few staff off their regular details and divert them to cleaning up the foam and the exterior walls of the spa and gym as soon as they clocked on in the morning. She'd been assured that the kitchen and dining hall hadn't been damaged even though a small portion of the stockroom attached had. She'd get her kitchen staff to reorder what had been lost and then claim the losses on insurance.

At three in the morning the investigator knocked on her office door and handed over his card. He'd need to take a closer look in the cold hard light of day, but from what he could tell the fuel drum in the storeroom had caused the explosion. She asked how that could happen when that drum had been stored there, and checked for safety regularly and she could prove that, for the past six years without incident. 'Sometimes these things happen' he'd told her and with that she had to be satisfied. He'd come again the next day and take another look, but for now it was structurally safe and from a criminal point of view there was no reason to deny anyone entry if they wished to begin cleaning up the mess. She thanked him too and assured him that she'd do whatever he needed her to when he returned.

It was four in the morning and it was never too early to set wheels in motion Rose thought as she turned on her computer and pulled up her insurance contract. She stared bleakly at the policy excess amount. She shook her head at the chunk of cash she was going to have to outlay. She had the money; the camp had turned a profit almost since its first year of opening, but handing over the lump sum, and knowing what it was likely to do to her premiums in the coming years, made her hand shake as she transferred the money from her savings account into the operating account for the camp.

Telling herself that a few thousand dollars was a small price to pay for the enormous repair bill the insurance company was about to fork out gave her some small comfort. It's what insurance was for she told herself firmly and went outside to greet the early morning sun while it lasted.

Emmett watched her walk down the path and knew she was going to inspect the damage he'd caused. He skulled the last of his beer – it was beer o'clock somewhere in the world he reasoned – and made his way down the path towards her and the chaos of 'ground zero'.

He found her scuffing her toe through the ash and foam by the door to what used to be the public toilets. "The foam buggers off in the wind if you let it dry in the sun," he told her quietly, not wanting to startle her.

She turned very tired, very red rimmed eyes to him and nodded, "Thanks, I was going to get the staff to hose it down."

Moving further along the path to where the storeroom door used to be Emmett peered inside the ruined room. "Let it settle," he suggested. Emmett knew all about fire fighting foam. "Count me in on the clean up detail," he said flatly.

Rose scoffed. "You're a guest," she reminded him. "I pay the others to work, you go back to your day and they'll work for their wages."

Suitably chastised by the stunning blonde once again Emmett nodded, aggravated by her attitude. "The owners are insured, right?" he asked as he made his way back to the end of the path and made to turn the corner and go back to 'his day, as a guest'.

"Of course," she all but spat. "The excess is a bitch though," she added almost under her breath but Emmett caught it.

"Owners problem," he muttered darkly. "The owners will find some hotshot tax agent and write this shit off as a tax dodge and go on their merry money grubbing way," he said nastily. "You did your job and kept everyone safe. Let the owner worry about this shit, Blondie," he told her but didn't hang around to get ragged on for the sentiment, or the nickname.

* * *

It was a very slow day at Crossroads the next day. By the time those occupying the private cabins got moving it was midday and lunch became breakfast. Everyone looked at the roped off section at the end of the dining hall sadly as they walked the path towards their meal. Everyone felt bad about the damage and everyone felt bad for Rose. Except Emmett.

He couldn't figure out what her deal was. Why was she so bothered by the damage? Why did she look so fucking sad as she'd sifted through the wreckage? What did she care if whoever owned the joint had to fork out a few grand in policy excesses to get it all fixed? They probably made millions off the place and never sank a cent back into it once the profits were skimmed off, so why did the Director give a toss about the excess?

The mood at camp was solemn for the afternoon. The guests went back to their cabins and stayed there until dinner. Nobody felt like doing too much of anything. With a broken night's sleep under their belts, and having slept late in the day to compensate, each of the private guests felt out of sorts and lethargic.

Over dinner, in which the table had the same six occupants that it had supported since the guests in cabins one two and three had met, the friends discussed their plans for the following day.

Angela and Ben had an arrangement to meet at the gym of a morning and the pool of an afternoon, so their plans were settled. Tyler was likely to be spending some time in the reception building to use a printer for the article he was working on. Emmett was going in to town the following day to collect his 'bait' and that left Edward and Bella at a lose end.

Feeling flat Edward was looking for something to take his mind off his guilt, "The weathers awful, so that rules out anything outdoors," he began. "We could check out some of the activities on offer?" he suggested vaguely.

"Mate, you really want to spend your day learning how to press flowers or write the perfect poem?" Emmett asked with a laugh.

"Not particularly," Edward agreed, looking over at Bella hoping she would rescue the situation with a better idea. "What do you feel like doing?" he asked.

Bella, for her part, was feeling a little flat herself. She felt bad for Rose and she was riddled with guilt herself because she still hadn't called home so she was looking for a distraction too. The idea of organised activities felt a little too much like her life at home, so she wasn't keen on those. "I guess we could watch a movie or something," she suggested carefully.

Thinking of popcorn Edward announced he was 'in' and that was that.

So when Angela and Ben went to the gym Emmett said his goodbyes for the day and slid into a taxi. Tyler went to the reception centre and Edward went to Bella's cabin to watch a movie.

Bella popped the corn, Edward chose the movie. Bella opened the soda, Edward stared at her dead cell phone on the counter.

"Have you called home yet?" Bella asked and Edward shook his head. "Me either," she sighed. "If you tell me why you haven't I'll you why I haven't," she suggested with a cheeky grin. Well, she hoped it was a cheeky grin. It could just as easily look like she was in the throes of a seizure.

Edward hadn't noticed, he was still staring at the phone. "I don't want them to know I'm having fun," he mumbled.

Her grin became real then. They weren't all that different she thought as she put the bowl of popcorn on the table in front of the sofa. "I've decided to call my sister rather than my parents," she announced as he left the counter and sat on the sofa beside her.

"You have a sister?" he asked as he fast forwarded past the opening credits and lined up the beginning of the movie.

"Yep," she replied after taking a sip of her drink. "Allie. And she's ten years older than me. What about you? Brothers and sisters?"

"Nope," he sighed. "You're lucky having a sister though."

"You'd think so, wouldn't you," she sighed as she leaned back into the cushions.

Considering that he thought that yes, he did think it was lucky she had a sister and he wondered why she didn't agree. Leaning back on the cushions himself he brought one leg up and tucked it under himself so they were facing. "I always wanted a sibling," he said. "I always felt like I was missing out on something without one."

"All you missed was competition," Bella muttered.

"Your sister competes with you?" he asked, not surprised in the least.

Bella scoffed and reached for her drink again. "Not in the least!" she chuckled. "Neither of us is competitive but our parents have pitted me against her my whole life."

"You against her?" Edward asked with his brows raised. He already felt sorry for her sister. If she had to compete with the girl sitting opposite she would've had a miserable life to date.

Nodding Bella explained. "She had a head start being older," she told him. "Plus she wanted the life they had planned out for her so toeing the line held no weight. She is popular, gorgeous and fell head over heels for the guy they picked for her. They're blissfully happy and she loves her life."

"Wait," Edward interrupted. He was shocked and appalled that her parents thought the older sister was perfect and that Bella was somehow lacking, but her statement about her sisters marriage overrode any comment he could make about that. "Your parents picked a guy for her?"

Nodding again Bella sipped her drink before replying. "Of course. But he's great. They've been married for ten years or so now and they're totally in love, so it worked out just fine."

"But she didn't choose him herself?" he asked, reiterating his last question because he still didn't understand. When she shook her head he cringed. Glancing quickly at the ring on her finger he couldn't help but blurt his next question out. "Did your parents pick your guy too?"

"Jake," she whispered and tried to keep the panic out of her voice as she said it.

"Alright, did your parents pick _Jake_ for you?" he asked but he knew the answer before she started nodding.

Forgetting all about the movie Bella reached for the popcorn bowl and set it down between them. She munched happily on a small handful and watched fascinated when Edward threw his head back and moaned as he stuffed his mouth full of the pale nuggets. "You really like popcorn, huh?" she giggled and reached for some more.

"I really do," he chuckled and wiped his hand across his mouth. He licked the salt off his fingers and then looked up to find her wide eyed and staring directly at his mouth. "What? Do I have salt on my face?" he asked and swiped again. "So tell me about Jake," he said as he reached for more salty snacks and shoved the remote control for the TV aside.

Not wanting to admit that she knew nothing about Jake Black other than his name, his age and what he did for a living she consciously ignored the question and continued to stare at Edward's mouth for as long as she could without it being obvious. It wasn't nearly long enough she thought as she tossed another piece into her own mouth.

"Nope," she said eventually. "I've told you something about my life, your turn now."

Edward was stunned into silence. There was nothing he could tell her that was remotely interesting. In fact all he could tell her about was his failure to live up to expectation. Grabbing for the bowl he shovelled another handful of popcorn into his mouth and made a show of chewing and swallowing it so he'd have time to think of something to tell her.

Realising there weren't enough hours left in the day to make something up he leaned back on the arm of the sofa and admitted there was nothing to tell. "I've never been anywhere or done anything," he told her sadly. "I'm an only child. I went to school. I went to college. That's all there is to tell."

Thinking he was joking or he was being modest Bella scoffed. "Oh come on," she chuckled. "There's more to you than that, anyone can see that. Tell me about your schooling," she asked. Thinking it was the most boring topic on the planet Edward began to shake his head. "No, really. I want to hear about your schooling. Tell me about college. Was it as great as I've heard it can be? Tell me about your roommates and about living in student squalor. Did you go to wild parties and stay out for days on end and have to cram for your finals? What did you study? What did you major in?" she asked, speaking so quickly her words became blurred together.

And didn't that just kick him in the gut. The mixture of the salty popcorn, the fizzy soda and the details of his pathetic life rose up in his stomach like a churning ocean squall.

Bella watched his face cloud over and then go pale. She had no idea what she'd said that bothered him but she knew that she had. Without thinking she reached across the distance between them and set her hand on his knee in support. "It's private," she whispered softly, "I get it. I won't ask again."

Springing up from the sofa he was out the door and under the awning with his ass in a chair and his head in his hands within seconds. He drew long breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth and tried to fight the rising nausea. He felt exactly as he had on his first day at work. Restricted, pathetic and unable to deal with simple situations.

"Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic," he mumbled to himself.

Bella went to the window above the kitchen counter and looked out to make sure he was alright. She'd heard the creak of the outdoor chair so she was pleased to see he was still there, but concerned to see him in distress.

Filling a glass with cold water from the fridge she took it outside and set it in front of him at the table. She didn't say anything but she did take the seat opposite.

She let him just be and busied herself watching the cleanup process down the hill.

After a few minutes Edward raised his head and swiped at his eyes with the backs of his hands. He chugged the entire glass of water down in two large gulps and put the glass back onto the table as quietly as he could.

He felt a fool for his reactions and wasn't ready to explain or talk just yet. He was grateful for her silence and so he sat in the little outdoor chair and watched her watching the cleaning.

Her profile really was extraordinary. He'd never been much of an artist and had been forced to practise drawing as a child so he didn't feel the need to paint or sketch her but he did like the curve of her nose and the way her long, straight hair fell in waves about her shoulders. The little painted flowers on her nails were beautiful, as were her short, dainty fingers.

He'd never had the opportunity to look at a girl as he was now. He'd never been alone with one either he realised as he watched her. They'd been inside her cabin, with the door shut, for well over an hour too. That would've been punishable at home but here it felt normal and maybe even a little bit exciting.

"Thank you," he whispered across the table and hoped she'd understand what for.

When her eyes met his they were concerned but her lips were smiling. "You're very welcome," she replied readily. Bella understood being overwhelmed and she'd asked very private questions of him and it had made him uncomfortable. And she was sorry. She wanted him back at ease, as he had been inside on the sofa. "Did you bring your cigarettes?" she asked hopefully.

Taking the pack from his pocket Edward put them and his lighter on the table between them after taking one out. He lit it and passed it across to her and then took another for himself.

Sliding the small stick between her lips Bella began to blush and had to turn a little further sideways to hide it from him. He'd had the cigarette in his mouth and now it was in hers.

To Bella it constituted her first kiss, as silly a concept as that was.

Watching the blush spread across her cheeks and then across her collarbones Edward wondered what had caused it. He leaned back in his seat and took a long, satisfying drag on his smoke and grinned. He hoped it was something good that he'd done or said.

He'd ruined the simple pleasure of spending time together and they hadn't even begun to watch the movie. But he knew a way to make that right.

On a whim he sat forward and tapped his lighter on the tabletop so he could get her attention. As soon as she turned to face him he spoke. "Will you go with me to the movie after dinner?" he asked before he could back out.

Her answer was given quickly and without hesitation. "I'd love to."

* * *

Bella toyed with the idea of calling home for two hours before she pressed the number into the keypad on the house phone.

She had to do it at some point, and she wasn't a coward, but the idea of having her tiny snippet of freedom taken away by admitting to her mother that she wasn't partaking in organised therapy made her stomach roil.

Instead she took the easier option and dialled her sister's house.

"Bella?" Mary Alice sighed sleepily into the handset on her nightstand. "Is that you?" she asked again when the line crackled and hissed at her. Reaching over she clicked on her lamp and peered at the clock's bright red letters. "It's three in the morning, what's wrong?" she asked, coming awake fast at the thought that something could have gone very wrong on the other side of the world.

"Allie it's me," Bella assured her very sleepy sister, using the nickname that had always been a secret between them as a kind of code to let her know that it really was her sister calling. "Nothing's wrong. Sorry to call so late but I can't quite work out the time zones."

"No, no, that's fine. I was wanting to hear from you," Mary Alice insisted as she poked Jasper in the small of his back to wake him up. Holding her hand over the handset once he'd opened his eyes she mouthed the word 'Bella' and that woke him up fast too. "How is it going down there?" she asked, holding the handset a little ways away from her mouth so Jasper could hear too.

"It's wonderful," Bella crowed. "The camp is lovely and everyone is so nice. I've had lots of good rest and am eating a lot of very nice, very healthy food," Bella said, giving her standard report on her surroundings.

Jasper raised his eyebrows rather pointedly and Mary Alice took it as her cue to make the suggestion they'd agreed on. "That's great," she said as normally as she could. "Have you spoken to mother yet, I know she was getting worried?"

"No, not yet. I didn't want a lecture for not understanding the time difference," Bella huffed.

Mary Alice laughed a little, hoping to put her sister at ease on the subject of their mother. "Listen, sis, I think it might be a good idea to just call here and I'll let mother and father know how you're getting on. No need to wake them in the night, or for you to get up at some silly hour to suit the time this end. Why don't we just say you'll call here whenever you can, or when you feel like it, and I'll relay any messages? How does that sound?" she asked and earned a nod and a pat to the back of the hand in praise from her husband.

Bella was so grateful she could hardly breathe on the other end of the line. "Oh that sounds just great," she managed to choke out, "I'd hate to bother them."

"Good, that's settled," Mary Alice agreed just as gratefully. "Now, what are the other guests like? Are you making friends?" she asked and Jasper nodded his head to encourage her and praise her for getting the first part of their plan squared away early.

"Oh yes," Bella exclaimed on the other end of the line. "They're very nice. Very friendly. My roommates name is Angela and she's very nice."

She'd used the word nice four times and it made Mary Alice cringe. "That's great," she said trying to keep the enthusiasm up even though she was losing confidence in the intelligence of her decisions. "And Rosalie, how are you getting along with Rosalie?"

Bella frowned at the question before answering. "Ah, she's very nice too," she said though she couldn't for the life of her work out how Allie would know Rose. "I haven't seen much of her yet but there are a few organised activities coming up so maybe I'll get to know her a little better then."

"That sounds like fun," Mary Alice replied because she couldn't think of anything else to say or to ask. "The line is terrible," she added hoping Bella would want to hang up.

"I know. My cell won't get any reception so I'm calling from a landline," Bella informed her sister. "I'll hang up, I know it's late and you've probably got a busy day tomorrow. Don't forget to tell mom and dad that I'm fine," she reminded Allie and then wished her and her brother in law a good night's sleep before hanging up.

Putting the handset back into its cradle Mary Alice turned her lamp off and settled back onto her pillows. "She sounds happier already," she whispered into the dark.

"She does," Jasper agreed and pulled her into the crook of his arms. "You did well, sweetpea," he told her with a kiss to the top of her head. "I know you feel guilty about all this but you heard for yourself how pleased she was not to have to report to your mother."

"Hmm mm," Mary Alice agreed begrudgingly. "Are you sure Rose is up to the task?" she asked as she slid down his body a little.

"Darlin," he crooned as she slid her hand even further down his body, "If it wasn't for Rose I wouldn't be here right now about to make love to my wife and you know it."

Taking his length into her hand Mary Alice had to agree that she did know that. Jasper Whitlock would've been in the ground long ago if it weren't for Rosalie Hale, and if she could do for her sister what she'd done for her husband then Mary Alice would sleep with a happy heart.

* * *

Emmett carried his 'bait' down the path as nonchalantly as possible. It was inside a plastic carry bag that was inside a canvas bag that was inside his backpack. He hoped he looked normal but couldn't help the grin as he thought about just how abnormal it was.

The still had been a mistake. A big mistake. But the need for cash was still pressing so he'd come up with a new way to make it. This time he was going it alone. He didn't want to drag Edward into another 'situation'. He'd share the profits, he had no problem with that, but he didn't want Edward to have to deny anything else.

He checked to make sure there was nobody home in his cabin and then stashed the backpack and its contents into the pantry. Nobody would think to look there.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. **

**Please review. **


	6. Chapter 6

The movie was set to begin at seven and at five minutes to Edward knocked on Bella's cabin door. He was nervous and excited and his hand shook as he tapped.

He hadn't checked with any of the other members of their little group to see if anyone else wanted to go and he was happy to admit he didn't want to know and didn't care if they did want to join them. He'd asked Bella specifically and he wanted it to be just the two of them.

He had no trouble admitting to himself that he found her fascinating and beautiful.

What he had issues with was the ring on her finger.

* * *

Emmett had no intention of attending the movie night. He couldn't sit still through a whole film anyway. He got bored easily and if the theatre was quiet or the movie too serious he was likely to make a fool of himself fidgeting or taking the piss out of the poignant scenes. No, movies weren't for Emmett.

Instead he had a date with a barstool in town. He liked the little pub and he'd made a few acquaintances already. So when Ed said he was off to the movies with Bella he left them to it and hopped it to town.

Tapping his coaster for a refill he balanced his stool on two legs and looked around the room. It was the only pub in town so it was pretty packed with drinkers and with those looking for a meal. Spotting a couple of likely looking lads he snatched up his new drink and made his way over to their table.

"Hey, I'm Em. You guys play pool?" he asked.

"Mark," the big guy replied and stuck out his hand. "I'm game," he said, getting to his feet.

"Dave," the smaller of the two said, also getting to his feet and offering his hand. "Five bucks says I wipe the table with your ass," he chuckled and slapped a bill on the table.

"Make it ten and you're on," Em laughed and matched the bet.

Nope, movies weren't Emmett's thing.

They weren't Rosalie's either. From her table in the back corner she watched Emmett introduce himself bold as brass to the two guys she knew to be bricklayers from one town over. She'd already talked to them about giving her a quote for the repairs to the storeroom.

Dipping a piece of her steak into her favourite mushroom sauce she watched as the three guys made their way to the pool tables. One hung back as the other racked up the balls and offered Emmett the first break.

The game looked like fun. All three laughed and talked smack as one by one the balls were sunk into the pockets. Emmett snatched up the money off the table at the end of the first game and then they racked the balls up for another.

She did her best to keep her eyes on the bookwork she'd brought with her but Emmett's laughter distracted her often. He seemed to make friends so easily. He was charming in a brutish sort of way and it looked as though he could engage with all walks of life.

Normally Rose would eat her meal and drink her single glass of red and go back to her cabin, but this night she decided on another drink. She raised her hand to catch the waitress's attention and then settled back into her chair to watch the next game.

The trio were joined by three more locals and soon a turn-for-turn game got under way. The group got louder and louder but still it was Emmett's voice she heard the most clearly.

He was regaling them with stories from his days at university and they were all enraptured. Not by what he was imparting but with his sense of humour and his friendly demeanour.

She didn't think he would make a good doctor but it was obvious that he had people skills.

She watched him for another twenty minutes, her paperwork completely forgotten, and when he excused himself from the table and began to walk towards her her body stiffened in panic. She didn't want to be seen.

He turned just as he was nearing her section where the dining tables were and shouted for the guys around the table to set them up again while he took a piss. Cringing at his choice of language Rose turned slightly in her seat as he passed her by and went behind her towards the gents.

She gathered her papers and threw them hastily into her satchel and asked Kelly behind the bar to add her dinner and drinks to her tab, and then she beat a hasty retreat before she could be seen.

Emmett caught sight of her as she went through the pubs front doors. He was sure it was her from the blonde hair and sensual gait but it was the curve of her ass that confirmed it for him. He'd stared long and hard at that ass quite a few times over the preceding days and he knew it well. Especially in skin tight jeans.

Why hadn't she said hello?

* * *

Settled into their seats with a bucket of popcorn and a soda each Edward and Bella spoke quietly as the opening credits rolled over on the screen in the gym.

"Have you seen Sabrina before?" Bella asked in a hushed whisper.

"Not the Harrison Ford one, no," Edward replied before shoving another handful of popcorn into his mouth. He was like a little kid as he sat there twitching with excitement.

Bella noticed. Bella noticed everything about him. He'd been shifting back and forth on his feet when he'd come to collect her and he'd still been doing it as they'd waited in line for the popcorn. He hadn't stopped grinning since they'd sat down and he was eating the popcorn so fast he'd be done with his bucket before the first lines were spoken at the rate he was going.

Patting his forearm she nodded at the bucket in his lap. "You can get more," she giggled. "Slow down or you'll be sick."

Grinning around another mouthful he nodded. "Sorry, I just love this stuff," he grinned. "Have you seen this version?" he asked with a nod towards the screen.

"Heaps of times," she admitted. "It's one of my favourites."

The movie began properly then and both sets of eyes went back to the screen. Munching happily on their popcorn and taking occasional sips of their drinks their concentration seemed to be wholly for the movie playing out in front of them.

But neither was one hundred percent engaged in the film. Both could feel the others body heat in the seat beside them. With Bella on his right Edward caught the glint off her engagement ring every time she moved her hand and it was beginning to make him angry and distracted.

She hadn't chosen this Jake guy and he was mad as hell that her parents thought that they could choose for her. Why hadn't she told them no? Why hadn't she made it clear that she didn't want to get married? As soon as the questions formed in his brain it threw up the answers for itself.

She hadn't said a damn word because she was just like him. Stuck in a never ending world of rules and parental domination. Her feet were just as set in the concrete world of her parents wants and needs as his were. She hadn't said no and he knew that he wouldn't have said no either. And that just made him madder as the light caught that fucking diamond again.

Opening his legs a little wider he pushed his popcorn bucket lower into the seat and held it with his thighs. He slid his right hand over her left and stilled it before wrapping his fingers over hers.

Beside him Bella stiffened at the contact but didn't take her eyes off the screen.

When she didn't withdraw her hand Edward left his there. When she curled the tips of her fingers and clutched at his he smiled to himself and went back to thinking about the movie. He'd done it to shield himself and his peripheral vision from the rock on her hand but she'd run with it on her own. He hadn't meant to actually hold her hand but she'd kept his in hers anyway.

Bella couldn't see anything wrong with holding his hand despite the fact that on her finger, below his, was an engagement ring. She hadn't put it there by choice. The little she did know about the man who'd put it there she didn't like anyway.

She had three months. Three months to live her life the way she wanted to. Twelve weeks to experience all that she could before she gave up her hopes and dreams and went home to live the life expected of her.

If a beautiful man with jade green eyes wanted to hold her hand then she'd let him.

* * *

Emmett told his new friends he'd sit the next pool game out but that he'd be back for the next before he ran out into the street. He spotted her standing beside a tiny emerald green car. Calling for her she seemed to take an extra second before turning around to face him.

She knew who had called her and to Emmett it didn't seem as though the interaction was going to be a welcome one.

"Why didn't you say hello to me in the pub?" he demanded a little more harshly than he'd wanted actually wanted to.

With a hand to her hip Rose drew in what looked like an exasperated breath before replying, "I didn't see you," she said firmly. Rose didn't socialise with her guests despite the fact that Emmett seemed to want to socialise with her.

"I saw you so you saw me," he chuckled though that too sounded harsh rather than friendly.

"Do you need a ride back?" she asked, thinking that's what he'd run outside for.

He took a quick look at his watch and said no thanks. "You want to come back in and have a drink with me?" he asked instead.

"I have work in the morning and if I have any more to drink I can't drive back myself," she told him, thankful that the excuse was legitimate.

"So have a Coke," he countered.

"I have to work in the morning," she reminded him.

"So you're going back to go right to sleep?" he asked, convinced she was full of shit and didn't have the balls to outright refuse him.

Rolling her eyes Rose pressed the alarm button on her car, opened the driver's door and set her bag inside before turning back to him. "Look, it's nothing personal, but I don't date guests," she told him.

"I said have a drink not marry me and have my babies for Christ's sake," he muttered darkly.

"Why?" she asked. It had slipped out before she'd had time to truly think about it. "Why do you want me to have a drink with you?"

"Because it'll be fun," he grinned. "You like having fun, right?"

"I like fun," she agreed.

"So come back in. I'll have a beer, you have a soft drink, I'll make you laugh and then you can go back and get eight hours sleep before work tomorrow," he grinned, his dimples crinkling up at the edges of his mouth.

Closing her eyes to avoid having to see those sweet little dimples Rose caved. "Fine," she muttered so it wouldn't like she was agreeing too readily.

She could use a laugh after the week she'd had.

After she'd retrieved her bag they walked back to the bar. He left her at a small table by the door and ordered a beer for himself and a Coke for her. His dimples were still on show when he brought their drinks back to the table two minutes later.

* * *

Bella left her hand in Edward's as they walked the path back towards the cabins. There didn't seem any reason to remove it, for either of them. What had started out as a diversionary tactic to rid himself of the sight of her ring became a warm, welcome piece of human contact for Edward and for Bella it just felt nice. A simple kind of nice found in the most unlikely of places.

As they walked Bella found herself thinking about her mother. If she was going to disturb the easygoing fun and the little vacation from reality Bella had found any time soon then Bella knew she had to enjoy every tiny piece of enjoyment she could before that time.

And so they walked, hand in hand, back to Bella's cabin. Edward agreed to a drink but didn't want to let her hand go when they got to her door.

"If I let you go will you give me your hand back once we've got a drink each?" he asked nervously as she turned the key in the door.

She whispered an equally nervous yes and went inside with a wide smile on her face. Edward followed her inside but stood by the door while she gathered a bottle and some glasses.

"Is that you Bella?" a sleepy Angela called from her bedroom.

Holding her finger to her lips for Edward to see Bella told her roommate that it was just her and that she shouldn't worry. Nodding towards the door the pair slipped back outside. Edward dragged the two chairs so that they were side by side and then poured them both a glass of wine before settling at the little table that was becoming familiar to them both.

He wasted no time reclaiming her hand and with it clasped firmly beneath his fingers he raised his glass to her. "What should we toast to?" he asked.

"Firsts," Bella answered without needing to think on it.

"To firsts then," Edward agreed and took a sip of the crisp white wine. "In the interests of firsts ask me again," he said after setting his glass back onto the table.

Bella was confused. She didn't recall asking him too much of anything recently and when she said as much Edward squeezed her hand a little. "You were full of questions this morning," he chuckled. "Ask me some again and I'll tell you all the boring details."

"Why did you run away from the questions this morning?" she asked instead.

"I was embarrassed," Edward admitted. "You just seemed so excited about my life and in reality it's not been exciting at all."

"At least you got to go to college," Bella griped.

Edward took another drink before explaining why that wasn't such a great experience for him. He told her all about having to live at home and being driven to and fro. He told her about the endless hours of study and not being allowed to indulge in any of the social experiences that usually went hand in hand with college life. He told her how lonely he'd been, how oppressive his parents – his mother in particular – were, and how they'd kept him from enjoying anything and everything in order to fulfil his perceived potential. He told her about the classes he'd been forced to take and how if he'd had his choice he'd have taken an arts track rather than a business track.

He told her almost everything and when he was done Bella was squeezing his hand tightly and feeling both desperately sorry for him and thinking how similar their lives actually were.

At the bottom of the bottle Edward released her hand only long enough to light them a cigarette each before he slid his hand back into hers. Catching her grinning widely beside him he asked what the smirk was for.

"I've never held someone's hand before," she admitted and kept right on smirking.

Stunned, Edward turned to look at her face as she stared out towards the dining hall. Measuring his response so he wouldn't sound accusatory he whispered it, "But you're about to get married."

"I know," she replied, fully expecting his response and his shock. "Fucking ridiculous, isn't it?" she asked, loving the way the curse word felt on her lips and tongue. She took another deep drag of her cigarette and held it out before nodding at it. "You had this between your lips before you gave it to me, that's as close as I've ever come to being kissed," she giggled, the wine loosening her tongue just enough to be honest with him.

He stared at her long and hard for a moment before opening his mouth. "Give it back," he insisted and waited for her to hand him her smoke. He slid it back between his lips and drew on it shallowly before handing it back to her. "There, we're even, that's my first kiss too," he chuckled and sat back in his chair to stare at the lights of the dining hall for himself.

* * *

One drink turned into seven and by the time Emmett and Rose returned to the camp at two in the morning he was rolling drunk. Happy but drunk. He got louder and louder the more alcohol he consumed but she already knew that from the party he'd thrown at camp.

He still managed to walk her to her cabin and wish her a good sleep before meandering down the path towards his own cabin. She watched him go and couldn't help but smile. He was a nice guy and he had made her laugh as he'd promised. He'd also made good on the promise that they'd have some fun.

They were pretty evenly matched at pool and she'd won for herself his winnings from earlier in the evening but had lost it back to him when they switched to darts. Even drunk he was a better shot than she was. He wasn't an annoying winner though. He had actually looked rather embarrassed to have trounced her, offering the winnings up for yet another round of drinks.

She had to laugh when he stubbed his toe yet again on the concrete join on the path as he got to his cabin and again when he turned to wave at her like a little boy. Rose slept well despite knowing she had to be up and ready in just five hours to greet the first tradesmen who were going to begin the repairs on the storeroom.

Emmett spotted Edward and Bella outside her cabin but they looked too cosy sidled up to one another for him to bother, so he went inside to bed without alerting them to his presence. They'd seen him though, and heard him too. They didn't break apart like guilty teenagers caught holding hands by a parent because neither of them was too worried about being seen together.

When they'd finished the second bottle of wine and had eaten an entire packet of jubes between them they both knew it was time to call it a night. Or a morning seeing it was so late.

"I should let you get some sleep," Edward slurred. Bella agreed but he could tell it was reluctantly. He stood, keeping her hand in his, and thanked her for the wine and for her company.

"I had a great time tonight," she told him truthfully and wished him a good sleep. The word sleep was so elongated because of the wine but she was in complete control of her faculties when she got onto her toes and kissed his cheek softly.

Edward rubbed his cheek with his fingertips on the walk back to his own cabin and then did it again before he let sleep take him over.

* * *

The sound of machinery woke the camp the next morning. There were three sore heads at breakfast and three slow bodies at lunch.

Emmett was greeted warmly by the two bricklayers when he passed by the storeroom on his way to the lake in the early afternoon and a do over of the pool game was arranged for later in the week.

Edward slept his afternoon away, trying to rid himself of his headache. Bella sat in the afternoon sunshine behind very dark sunglasses and drank an awful lot of water to rid herself of hers.

Rose moved through her day with a little less patience than was normal but by the time dinner was being served in the dining hall she'd accomplished everything she had on her list for the day.

When night fell the others retreated to their cabins for some quiet time, all except Emmett who saw yet another opportunity to raise some funds for his drinking escapades.

Twelve portable toilets had been delivered during the day to replace the ones he'd blown up with his disastrous still, and Emmett had plans for one of them. It took a while but he wrestled the toilet up the path and after an hour's shoving and quiet cursing he stashed it behind his cabin. He hoped nobody would miss it and that nobody was likely to do a head count of how many had been delivered.

There were no parties that night. Emmett went to bed at a reasonable hour but was beaten into bed by a lethargic Edward. Angela lasted just an hour longer than Bella and Rose fell gratefully into her bed a full two hours before her usual bedtime.

A routine of sorts was adopted by the private guests and their director after that night. Their days were somewhat solitary, each of the six friends finding something personal to keep them amused.

Tyler hid in his cabin and worked on his article. Ben and Angela slinked off to the gym and sometimes to the health spa and Emmett spent his days sleeping off the night befores excesses. Edward had found a piano pushed to one side in the party room of the corporate section of the camp and after gaining permission to play it from Rose spent many a happy hour tickling its lovely ivories. Bella twice went to town to replenish her alcohol stocks and to buy more jubes and cigarettes for a grateful Edward, and other than that she could be found in the sun on her cabins porch drinking coffee and reading her novel.

Rose worked hard to have the storeroom and public toilets repaired in time for the first official camp activity that was to be held on the sporting grounds opposite the damaged section of building. It was to be a friendly rugby match between the two large corporate groups before they headed home. Unable to source the fittings for the toilets, but pleased with the work done on the building itself, she had to settle for using the porta-potties for another week in the end.

All six guests seemed as though they were treading water during the day. At night it was as though they truly came alive.

Over the course of the next week Emmett had been into town on six of the seven nights and was disappointed that he could only talk Rose into joining him twice.

Edward and Bella watched every movie on offer in the gym and on the nights when a public movie wasn't showing, or the gym was being used for something else, they were holed up in his cabin watching a film on his television, taking advantage of the missing in action Emmett.

Nobody knew the whereabouts of Angela and Ben and nobody thought to check what they were up to. If anyone had they'd find that the two body conscious individuals were very conscientiously checking each other's bodies out in very fine detail in Ben's cabin when Tyler wasn't in, and in Bella's when she was in Edward's.

Rose was unable to cite 'too much work to do' on the Friday night of the second week when Emmett invited her to the pub for a drink. Her corporate groups had gone home and it would be two full days before the next group arrived to take their place.

The repairs were moving along at a good pace and there was nothing she could personally do to speed them along, though she had given some thought to picking up a trowel or a paint brush a few times over the preceding day or two.

So on Friday night Rose drove herself and Emmett to the pub for dinner and a drink. Ben and Angela made discreet enquiries of their friends and settled on another night alone in his cabin. Tyler, as was becoming normal, was nowhere to be found when the plans were settled.

It was the warmest night since the guests had arrived so far and as Edward made preparations for his evening he cursed Mother Nature. The colder the evenings were the closer Bella would snuggle up to him when they were watching television. He liked that, he really liked it. So as he laid out the last of the popcorn stash and two glasses for whatever wine Bella was bringing he toyed with the idea of switching the heating over to cooling. It would be sneaky and underhanded and for just half a second Edward wondered if he cared.

But ultimately the true Edward did care. In fact the true Edward wondered if she'd snuggle up to him regardless, and set out to test the hypothesis.

Bella arrived in a lighter coat and shucked it off as soon as she was inside the cabin. As it had been since after the first movie they attended their conversation was light and animated as they told one another about their day.

Edward espoused the beauty and joy he'd found with the piano and Bella told him all about the twists and turns in the plot of the novel she'd been reading. She asked intelligent questions about his music choices, despite not having a music bone in her body, and Edward asked clever questions about her book that proved he'd listened they evening before as she'd walked him through the storyline.

Over a very nice glass of red they talked about the friends they had in common and had a good giggle over Ben and Ange thinking they had anyone fooled. They wondered aloud what Tyler was working on and what his next assignment was going to be. They passed a few comments about Emmett and Rose going to dinner together _again_ and then they lined up the movie to begin.

It was an action film this time and something that neither of them was too fussed about, but the company was good, the wine relaxed them and they were soon reclining on the sofa in each other's arms.

Edward's theory had been right and as he tightened his arm about her shoulder and pulled her a little closer to himself he smiled over the top of her head.

"Were you hugged as a child?" Bella asked abruptly, startling Edward from his thoughts.

Inhaling the scent of her shampoo Edward thought about his childhood and began to shake his head. "No. My family aren't an affectionate one. Were you?"

"Not by my parents," she replied. "But I was hugged by my sister at the usual times I guess."

He did his best to keep his mind on the film, and for twenty minutes he did. Bella was completely still beside him, sitting as she was half across his chest. And Edward was still too, but only physically. Mentally his thoughts were running riot through his brain.

How could anyone deny this lovely creature affection he thought? It didn't occur to him that he'd been denied affection too and that he deserved it just as much as Bella had. He simply didn't think that way. His thoughts were for Bella and not for himself.

Steeling himself to ask his next question he closed his fingers around the point of her shoulder as though he was anchoring himself to her, just in case she pulled away. "Has Jake touched you, ever?" he whispered.

Her soft laugh made him feel better for asking, but worse because she found it funny. He knew what her answer was going to be before she voiced it. "No. I think you've got entirely the wrong impression about my situation," she began carefully. "Jake and I aren't even friends, Edward. I don't know anything about him other than his name really. We had a conversation once, and only once, the day we were forced to meet. I've been in the same room as him exactly eleven times now, and that includes the two times since our engagement was announced."

"How can that be?" he asked without thinking.

Believing he thought she'd underestimated, or at the very least that she was oversimplifying the situation, Bella bristled. "I can count them off if you don't believe me," she huffed. "The night we were introduced, at a party two weeks later, and we didn't even speak to one another that night. That's two. At my parents anniversary party the following month and again for some fund raiser for the election he's running in. That's four. He was at my sister's house on Thanksgiving, and I sat next to him at dinner, but he didn't speak to me at all that night. Um, I saw him at a charity auction my mother hosted last Christmas, and then I saw him again at a New Years Eve party his father was throwing that I was dragged along to because my parents know his. I did talk to him that night but it was hello and goodbye. How many's that?" she asked as she reached forwards and took hold of her glass.

"Seven," Edward croaked.

"Right," she agreed and put her now empty glass back on the table before slipping back under his arm. "He came to my house to speak to my father one day and I said hello and goodbye again, so that's eight. Two weeks later he came to ask my father for my hand, that's nine. Ten was the night of our official engagement party and I saw him once on the day he came to the house to go over his campaign schedule with my mother, so they could work out a date for the wedding that suited everyone. That's eleven. There."

Doing his best not to clench his fist in frustration and anger, especially with her tucked under his arm the way she was, Edward tried to remain calm and think of something constructive to say. And then he began to wonder if constructive was the right thing to be. If he could explain away the travesty she might begin to believe that it was for the best that she marries the guy. If he appeared nonchalant about the circumstances of her engagement she might believe he was happy for her.

"That's fucked up," he hissed, deciding on his course. He pressed his lips to her hair and took in a long breath before speaking again. "I've held your hand," he said firmly as he tried to make his point without being overbearing or showing his temper. "I've had my arm around you every night for the last week. You kissed me on the cheek a few days ago. We've slept in each other's arms for Christ's sake. But you're about to marry someone you've never actually physically touched, ever. I can't begin to tell you how fucked up that is to me."

Silence descended again between them as their eyes remained on the screen, but their thoughts were elsewhere.

Bella didn't disagree with his observation. Everything he'd said was true. But there was a little part of her that resented him pointing it out to her.

When she broke the silence it was in a whisper so low he had to lean forward to make out the words. "You're in no position to give me advice," she breathed, barely audibly. "You're going to return home to a life you don't want, just like I am. And you can't tell me that you intend to do a goddamned thing about it anymore than I am."

It wasn't the harshness of her statement that made Edward's stomach clench. It wasn't the sadness in her voice as she'd said it. It wasn't that she seemed so resigned to her fate. She'd basically just called them both cowards and that didn't bother him one bit. No, Edward's stomach clenched because she'd just admitted that she didn't want the life that was waiting for her at home.

She didn't want Jake.

If they only had three months to enjoy one another's company – and two of those weeks were behind them already – then Edward was determined to make the most of what they had left.

Bending at the neck Edward placed his lips to Bella's ear. "That may very well be true," he whispered. "And there might very well be nothing I can do to change what's waiting for me back there. But I'm here right now, not there. You're here right now too, not there." Ghosting his lips across the shell of her ear Edward closed his eyes as he spoke, "If we have just a few weeks to really be alive, then I want to spend them with you. There's nowhere I'd rather be than here with you."

Hoping she understood the point he was trying to make Bella took her eyes off the television and looked down at the ring on her finger. "I want to be alive with you," she whispered.

* * *

Mary Alice reached across the table and took the thin file folder from her mother with a trembling hand.

Opening the folder she hoped, for the hundredth time, that her husband was right about Rosalie Hale and Crossroads.

"The report is rather vague," Renee said as she took another sip of her tea. "But I expected no less from a backwater therapy centre in the middle of nowhere."

Mary Alice could do nothing other than agree while she skimmed the report in her hand. As promised it looked professional and plausible. She recognised a few phrases that Jasper had said would be in the report so she knew what to expect as she read it. The Crossroads letterhead was there, the wording sounded as though it had been dictated by a certified therapist and all in all it had fooled their mother. And that was all that really mattered.

"Well she has only been there for two weeks, mother," Mary Alice hedged. "It's going to take time, that's why her stay needed to be for three months. The therapist seems very encouraging," she said as she pretended to read the report in its entirety.

"Well, encouraging or not that girl had better return in better shape than she left," Renee said, tapping her teaspoon rather pointedly on her teacup saucer. "The invitations have already gone out and Jake is positively frantic for news of her."

Mary Alice heard 'Jake is frantic' but knew that her mother meant 'mother is frantic not to be embarrassed in front of her stuffy friends if Bella doesn't show for her own wedding'.

"I spoke with her myself just last night," Mary Alice lied with a smile. "Her diet plan is having a great effect, she's attending all her sessions and she said she's sleeping like a baby. That is a good thing according to the report."

Renee took another sip of her tea but kept her cup in her hand as she spoke. "A child of mine in therapy," she huffed as though she was in some considerable distress at the thought. "If word gets out I'll be ruined," she whispered across the table.

Her mother's distress was genuine but Mary Alice knew it had nothing to do with Isabella and everything to do with their mothers personal reputation.

This time Mary Alice didn't need to lie. She leaned over the table and whispered confidently, "Word won't get out. The centre is so exclusive nobody's ever heard of it, mother. We just have to relax and let the professionals there do their job. It's what you paid them for."

She'd lied to her mother so many times in the past hour she hardly knew where the truth lay anymore. Yes of course she was confident that Isabella would return healthy and happy and ready to be married to Jake. Yes of course she was sure that once she was married she'd settle down and be grateful for the opportunity she had been handed. No, she hadn't given her sister any money for the trip. Yes she had given the therapist all the documentation from Isabella's hospital stay. Yes she had researched the facility extensively and yes, she was one hundred percent sure that Isabella wasn't being exposed to anything unseemly.

Those were the lies that tumbled out of her mouth over afternoon tea with her mother.

In private, with her husband, she confessed her true hopes for her sister. She hoped Isabella was getting drunk, and laid, and cutting her hair and eating junk food day and night and partying until dawn every night of the week because she knew that when her sister returned she was never going to survive an arranged marriage.

Isabella wasn't Mary Alice.

The only people who didn't want to see that were their parents, and Mary Alice didn't want to bury her sister.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. **

**Please review. **


	7. Chapter 7

Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny without the customary fog that the guests were getting used to. Emmett greeted the day with a grin and the clear blue skies meant he could put to good use the bait he had stashed in the pantry of the cabin.

Not nearly as hungover as he normally would be, and that he attributed to having Rose along the night before, he was up and ready with a clear head for the first time in as long as he could remember.

Emmett took the time for a quick stroll through the gardens at the front of the camp and as he bent to smell one of the last roses on a bush he took stock of the carpark. The usual vehicles were there and he was pleased that the little green coupe was missing. Rose had been absent from camp the two Saturday mornings prior and Emmett spent a few seconds patting himself on the back for having noticed.

He went to breakfast as normal and ate his usual fill. He smiled and joked, laughed and chatted with his friends and when the group split off to go their separate ways Emmett retrieved his backpack and headed for the crystal clear waters of the lake.

Bella was going in to town to buy herself another novel, having already devoured the two she'd bought on her first trip and that left Edward at a loose end for the morning at least. He watched Emmett walk down the path, a spring in his step, and wondered what he was up to now. Whatever was in the backpack at his shoulder was heavy because the bag sagged noticeably. Calling out to his friend before he got too far ahead Edward was a bit peeved to be ignored.

Emmett heard Edward as clear as day but did his best not to react to being shouted at. He kept his eyes straight ahead and put one foot in front of the other hoping his friend would forget he'd seen him and go and find Bella to play with.

Emmett only looked back once and that was only so he could make sure that Edward hadn't followed. He hadn't and Emmett sighed, pleased. He made sure he had gone far enough around the edge of the lake not to be seen too clearly from any angle at camp and then looked back down the path again. Still nobody. His walks had paid off he thought as he laid the backpack carefully on the ground and doubled back to collect one of the canoes tied up to the little jetty. He used the attached rope to drag the canoe through the water to where he'd left his bag. So far he was in the clear.

He unpacked his bag cautiously and set each item into the bottom of the canoe as carefully as he could. He donned the safety vest and was about to step into the little boat when Edward appeared on the path heading right for him. He'd come around the lake from the opposite direction. Emmett looked back along the path that way and noticed all the overhanging willow trees. Edward had managed to stay hidden almost all the way around the edge.

Emmett cursed long and low and threw his now empty backpack over the items he had in the bottom of the boat. Wishing he'd had the smarts to bring along an actual fishing rod he used the few seconds he had before Edward joined him at the water's edge to get his story straight.

"What are you up to?" Edward asked as he got close enough to be heard.

"I'm going fishing, mate," Emmett said as casually as he could.

"Fishing?" Edward asked sceptically. "Pretty difficult to catch fish without a pole," he chuckled.

"I've got a handline in there," Emmett nodded towards the canoe.

"I'll row then," Edward offered and made to move closer to the boat.

"No," Emmett said a little too quickly and a little too loudly. "Um, I mean, I've only got the one life vest, mate. It's not safe."

Edward raised his eyebrows and Emmett knew he was screwed before the guy opened his mouth. "You're worried about me being safe?" Edward scoffed predictably. "This from the guy who said we were perfectly safe making a still because I was wearing glasses and you had gloves on. Spill," Edward demanded.

Seeing his chance to salvage the operation Emmett dropped the rope at his feet and stood on it to stop the canoe from floating away. "Remember the other night, after the explosion, you and I were in the garden?" he asked a confused Edward who could only nod that he did remember. "Do you remember asking me what you should say and do about your part in the whole still thing and me telling you that you were just going to deny any knowledge of it?" Again Edward nodded. "This is one of those situations," Emmett said carefully. "If you hang around out here with me and something goes wrong you'll be right back there, staring down the barrel of having to deny shit. I don't want that for you. So best you turn around and head back to camp."

Edward's reply came out of his mouth without him needing to think on it. "I feel bad that we damaged that storeroom," he said pointing back towards camp, "but making that still with you was the most fun I've had in my entire life," he said fiercely. "Whatever it is you're out here doing I'm in, life vest or not."

Cursing, Emmett threw Edward an exasperated look. "Mate, I'm being serious here."

"And I'm being serious right back," Edward insisted. "If what you've got going on here is anything to do with trying to make money to buy us beer and smokes then I want in."

Realising the guy was serious Emmett shrugged. "Alright, but if this goes wrong I don't want you whining that I didn't warn you, right?" he asked. Edward nodded frantically and agreed without hesitation. Knowing he was beaten Emmett retrieved the rope from the ground and pulled the canoe closer to the shore. He shucked his life vest and threw it at Edward and waited until he had it secured before telling him to get into the canoe but to avoid standing on the backpack and what was under it.

Edward took up the paddle and waited for his friend to climb into the boat himself, and then he paddled them out into the centre of the lake at Emmett's instruction. Judging the distance to be around halfway from any point of land Emmett told Edward to put the paddle at his feet and then he removed the backpack from the items in the bottom of the little boat.

Edward couldn't make sense of what he was seeing and said so.

"You ever seen one of these?" Emmett asked as he held up a black plastic tube-shaped object that had a round metal loop fixed into its top.

"Is that a grenade?" Edward asked incredulously. "Fucking hell," he muttered when Emmett nodded. "We're going fishing with a hand grenade?" he asked.

"Sort of," Emmett agreed as he fished around in the bottom of the boat for a few seconds and came up with another one. "They aren't filled with shrapnel or anything, they're concussion grenades. They just make a loud boom noise on land but under water they'll just shock the fish and they should just float to the surface," he grinned. "We'll scoop them into the canoe and shove them into these plastic bags and we'll be good to go."

"There's a whole lot of 'shoulds' in there," Edward commented. "Have you ever done this before?" he asked.

"Nope," Emmett grinned again. "But I know a guy who has. How hard can it be?"

"You said that about the still," Edward mumbled under his breath. "Where did you get them?" he asked when he was handed one.

"I know a guy," was all Emmett said. He set his own grenade down carefully in the bottom of the boat and got busy unrolling a large package of black plastic garbage bags. "Right. We'll throw them together on the count of three. All you do is pull the pin and throw, it's easy. As soon as you've let it go you've gotta grab onto the sides of the canoe and hold on tight. We might get a bit of turbulence," he chuckled. Holding his grenade out in front of himself he waited until Edward had done the same and then hooked his thumb through the ring on his. "On the count of three ready? One, two, three," he said and pulled the pin.

His throw was a good one and his grenade landed twenty metres away from the canoe and back towards the direction they'd paddled from. Edward pulled his pin at the same time, then froze.

"Throw the fucking thing!" Emmett roared as Edward sat staring at it in his fist.

Panicking Edward used his left arm to throw instead of his natural right and the grenade hit the water just two metres from the side of the canoe. Emmett shouted for him to hold on but his own grenade chose that very second to detonate under the water.

There was hardly a noise at all as the water rose up from Emmett's grenade. A slight wave less than half a metre high rocked the boat gently as fish began to float to the surface. Emmett was about to grin at his ingenuity when Edward's grenade detonated.

He'd thrown his late and it hadn't sunk quite as far as Emmett's had when it let its full force explode. This time there was a dull roar as a water spout five metres high made its way upwards directly beneath the canoe. With nothing to dampen its energy the water twisted the canoe at its centre point and broke it clean down the middle, throwing both men from it and into the freezing water.

The two pieces of the canoe landed ten metres away in opposite directions and both Emmett and Edward were thrown into the air as well before crashing back down into the murky depths.

Without a life vest Emmett sank further beneath the water than Edward did so it was a seriously panicked Edward who was screaming for his friend to surface when he eventually did. When Emmett got to the surface he was spluttering and breathing hard but he was intact. So was Edward. In shock and more scared than he'd ever been, but intact and breathing.

"What the fuck, Em?" Edward was yelling.

"Keep your fucking voice down," Emmett hissed across at his friend who was flailing about in the freezing water. "You got all your bits and pieces?" Emmett asked, treading water and clutching for as many of the black plastic bags as he could.

"I'm alright, are you?" Edward coughed as he expelled the last of the lake water from his mouth.

"Yeah," Emmett said wearily. There was no commotion from the shore or from the camp so Emmett was hopeful they were still going to be able to salvage the situation without being caught. "We gotta collect these fish and get the fuck out of here before we freeze or someone spots us," Emmett called as he began to stroke away. "Grab as many bags as you can," he told Edward.

Twenty minutes later there were two very cold but very happy men dragging the two ruined halves of the canoe into the bushes at the side of the lake. They had four bags of stunned trout on the bank and were really, really looking forward to a hot shower.

* * *

Rose had spotted Bella walking towards the main road, probably to wait for a taxi, and offered her a ride to town instead. Bella was grateful and happily thanked Rose for cancelling her cab reservation before they drove off in her little sports car.

For Rose it was a good opportunity to find out how Bella was travelling. She'd sent the first of her 'reports' to the girl's mother and hoped it had done what Jasper needed it to, but it would be nice to add something truthful to the next one that was due in just a few days. The short drive to town could be useful she thought as she turned left onto the main road.

"Tell me about your week," Rose prodded as they drove.

"Oh, it's been wonderful," Bella extolled happily. "We've been to all the movies in the gym and I've been to town twice already."

That she'd used 'we' wasn't lost on Rose but she knew enough about Bella to know not to bring it up just yet. "What have you been filling your days with?" she asked instead.

"Reading mostly, that's why I'm going to town today. To buy books," she giggled. "The weathers been so lovely during the day that I've just sat outside reading most of the time, but at night we've been indoors."

Again with the 'we' thought Rose. "The bookshop is a good one," she agreed. "Pete, that's the owner, he owns the music store too, so if you're looking for something and can't find it go in and ask for Pete and he'll get it."

"I've never been able to read whatever I liked before so it would take me years to get through all the books he's got in there already," Bella giggled.

"Books are never a bad investment in my opinion. If you're anything like me you'll go back and read your favourites over and over."

"I can buy them here, while I've got money, but once I get home..." Bella trailed off.

Seeing the opening she was waiting for Rose pounced, discreetly. "What does your fiancé do for a living?"

Rose caught Bella's reaction out of the corner of her eye but said nothing. "He's a Congressman," Bella answered dully, "that's a politician."

Knowing what it was Rose wasn't offended at her answer. American politics and Australian politics were poles apart. "They probably get paid pretty well so you'll be able to buy books, won't you?" Rose asked as she steered the car into the right turn that would put them in the direction of town.

"I don't know yet," Bella replied despondently. "I guess I'll have a household allowance of some sort."

"Allowances can stretch if you spend them right," Rose laughed. "What else have you been buying here besides books?" she asked as she pulled into the carpark of the supermarket. Rose already knew what Bella had been buying. The locals talked and Rose was an expert observer.

"Alcohol, cigarettes and sweets," Bella giggled as she exited the car.

"Also good investments," Rose chuckled as she slung her handbag over her shoulder. "Which one of you has the sweet tooth?"

"Edward does," Bella answered without thinking then quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

Putting her hand on Bella's shoulder Rose smiled kindly, "From all accounts he's a lovely man," she told her furiously blushing guest. "I haven't seen either of you at any of the activities so I figured you've been finding ways to be alone?" she asked cautiously as the two women began to walk towards the shops that lined the street.

Bella hesitated just a second before answering. "He is lovely," she whispered. "Angela spends a lot of time with Ben and Emmett is always out," she said by way of agreeing.

Rose knew that too. Deciding to give Bella a tiny little shove she offered some information. "There's a path, through the trees beside your cabin. It leads out across a field. At its furthest edge there's what used to be a small vineyard. Its derelict now but the vines are still there and so is the pressing shed. It's not locked but you have to use the side door, not the front. There's no power connected anymore but there's candles, blankets and pillows in the storeroom in the back. There aren't security cameras anywhere, even at camp, so nobody would you know you're there."

Bella listened carefully but said nothing about the information she'd been given when Rose was finished. She thanked the director for the lift and for the chat, said that she'd make her own way back to camp at some point and then went into the bookstore, her head filled with visions of grape vines and candlelight.

Rose chuckled to herself as she went into the pharmacy. It was true that Rose hadn't seen either of her guests at any of the planned activities but she'd still seen them elsewhere. Cuddled up to one another in the gym watching the movie, hand in hand on Bella's porch and in the dining hall too. It wasn't her place to pass any kind of moral judgement on the pair, and she wouldn't even if it was her place. It was true that Bella was engaged but she also knew that that wasn't Bella's choice and if what her friends Jasper and Mary Alice had told her was true – and she had no reason to believe otherwise – then Bella having a little fling with Edward Cullen wouldn't do her any harm anyway.

"How's business Rosie?" Louise asked across the chemists counter.

"Blossoming," Rose told the teller as she handed over her request slip. "I love Spring," she told the woman with a wink, "Spring at Crossroads always means love."

* * *

Nobody approached the two drenched boys as they made their way back to the cabin, garbage bags in hand. They took turns showering and when they were both clean and dressed in warm clothing they packed up some supplies and took the bags to the main road to wait for the taxi Emmett had called to pick them up.

It was only when they were in the taxi that the laughter began. The grenades had been overkill Emmett conceded. The mild hypothermia a minor aggravation they laughed. The canoe had been collateral damage and had given up its life for a good cause they both agreed.

The taxi driver was their first customer and he bought two fat juicy trout for his dinner before wishing them luck and driving away from where he'd left them on the side of the road leading away from town.

Emmett had picked the spot for their 'stall'. It was the busy intersection where traffic came up the mountainside and then branched off in three directions towards the three small towns at the top of the plateau.

On the leftover cardboard from the first slab of beer Emmett had scrawled the words 'fresh fish $5 each' in Sharpie. He ripped that morning's newspaper in half and stacked the pages neatly to wrap the fish in. Slitting open one of the four bags they laid the black plastic out onto the grass verge by the side of the road and spread out its contents for inspection by potential customers. And there were quite a few.

Cars filled with women on their way to do the weekly shopping stopped for a bargain and men returning home after Saturday morning shifts stopped to buy their catch so they didn't have to go fishing themselves.

They both had pockets filled with cash by the time they emptied what was left in the last of the four bags out onto the ground and were feeling pretty impressed with themselves. They had only twenty six fish left to sell and then they could split the money up and enjoy spending it they mused as they put the plumpest fish on the top of the pile.

They'd been selling two and three fish at a time so the idea that they only needed another half a dozen or so cars to stop made them both giddy with excitement.

Edward was confused when Emmett began to curse a blue streak. He thought he was pissed because it was beginning to rain.

What Edward didn't know was that the tiny little emerald green car that was pulling over was Blondie. What Emmett knew for sure was that they were fucked if she worked out where the fish had come from. Well and truly fucked.

Rose saw the sign first and recognised the two guys second. She pulled over to the side of the road just beyond them and looked in the rear view mirror to try and make sense of what she was seeing.

The sign said fresh fish, and that was both fine and ingenious in an entrepreneurial sort of way. She had no idea where they'd gotten the fish but knowing Emmett he'd 'know a guy'. Edward had probably been dragged along for the ride as far as the roadside venture went.

Putting the car into park she grabbed her purse and her coat and walked back to the little stall. Another car had pulled over in the meantime so while Emmett talked with the woman about the fish Rose greeted Edward.

"Is business good?" she asked as she approached.

"Not bad," Edward replied.

He looked nervous Rose thought as she bent to inspect their catch. "I'll take these two," she said as she pointed to two of the smaller fish. They'd make a nice dinner for herself she thought as she got out a ten dollar note.

"Um, you don't need to pay," Edward stammered. He was horrified that Rose was about to purchase fish they'd stolen from her lake. He was saved from having to explain his comment by Emmett who finished his transaction with the woman in the other car and practically ran over to rescue him.

"Hey Blondie," he said as casually as he could to Rose. "Wrap those up, we'll head on back now," he told Edward with a wink that only he could see.

Edward didn't need to be told twice. He got down onto his knees and started scooping the remaining fish into the bag as soon as Emmett had finished speaking to him.

Em led Rose a little way away and spoke quietly. "We're friends," he hedged. "You don't need to buy those, you can just have them."

"That's silly," Rose argued. "I don't mind paying. They look great by the way. Really fresh."

"They are," Emmett mumbled but still insisted she didn't need to pay. He asked Edward to wrap up a couple of them in some of the newspaper and while his friend did that he grinned his best dimple filled smile at Rose. "We could throw those on the barbie for dinner one night?" he asked cheekily.

Smiling back Rose said that sounded like a nice idea. She accepted the fish from a nervous looking Edward and said a genuine thank you when both boys refused her money. "Put your stuff in the car," she told them as the rain began to fall a little more heavily. "I'll take you both back to camp if that's where you're headed?" she asked after pushing the alarm button on her keys.

The two boys looked at each other before both shaking their heads minutely at one another. "Um, thanks for the offer," Emmett said as he took the bag from Edward and set it down in the boot of Rose's car. "I'll be grateful if you take those back to camp, but we're heading in to town before we go back."

"Suit yourselves," she called from her window. "I'll put them in the coolroom in the kitchen," she told him and then waved as she took off down the road.

The two guys were silent until her car disappeared around the first bend and then they both bent over at the hips and dragged in a long, steadying breath. "Jesus Christ," Emmett muttered.

"I'm guessing the best days don't end with Jesus Christ," Edward chuckled as he straightened.

"Damn right," Emmett laughed as he reached out his fist for Edward to bump. "Come on, town's only a click up the road."

* * *

It was two in the morning when Bella heard the boys approaching their cabin. She'd been watching for them all night, missing Edward's company and worrying where they'd gotten to.

They were laughing and joking quite loudly and as they came into view she could see why. They were both drenched and each had an arm around the others shoulder for support. They were very obviously rolling drunk.

Pulling her coat collar up around her ears in defence against the cold wind and rain she ran down the path to greet them. "I don't think I need to ask where you two have been," she giggled when she got close enough to smell the fumes coming off them.

"Not mush point," Emmett slurred as he let Edward go and made for the cabin on his own. He only got two paces further along before he had to stop, bend over at his waist and dry retch into the bushes. Thankful he hadn't actually thrown up, but feeling as though he might try again pretty soon, he put a bigger effort in to getting to the cabin. "I'm going to bed," he announced even though it was obvious that he'd be no good for anything other than sleep anyway.

"Hey beautiful," Edward thought he whispered but really shouted right into her ear as he put his arm over Bella's shoulder. "I'm drunk," he announced groggily.

"I figured," Bella giggled as she tried her best to hold him up. "Come on, you need to drink some water and then I'll get you into your bed," she told him, shoving him with her hip to get him moving again.

"Mmm," Edward hummed in her ear. "Take me to bed, Bella," he smirked.

"Stop it," she giggled. "You need water and sleep."

"I need to hold your hand," he slurred and tried to take his arm down off her shoulder.

"Keep it there," Bella begged as he swayed. "You'll fall over otherwise."

"Oh yesshh, but if I fall over you'll fall on top of me," he sniggered drunkenly thinking it sounded like a very nice idea.

"And then we'll both get hurt," Bella huffed and tried her best to make him walk by half prodding half dragging him. "You need water before you puke," she told him when he balked at putting his left foot in front of his right.

"I need to kiss you," he argued but did start walking when she huffed at him. "I had lots of water today in the lake," he slurred. "I went fishing," he said proudly as they came to the porch of the cabin. "I sold the fish and got some money. I bought you a book but I think I lost it," he sighed.

"That's alright," Bella laughed at his sad little boy pout. "It's the thought that counts."

"Shhh," he slurred into her ear. "Don't tell anyone but I think lots. I think about things I'm not supposed to. I'm thinking about you putting me to bed right now," he chuckled. "You'll see my pyjamas."

She doubted that she would because she had no intention of undressing him so he could put them on, but the thought of doing just that made her tingle all over. "Hold still," she grumbled when he began to lean a little too heavily on her. "I can't hold you up," she laughed as she pushed the door open.

"I think you're drunk too," he slurred. "I can't hold you up either."

She giggled all the way into the cabin and stood him in the living room. She shut the door and got back to Edward's side before he toppled over the back of the sofa. "Come on," she told him as she tugged on his sleeve to get him to go into his bedroom.

She didn't have to work too hard to get him to lie down; he did it himself by falling flat on his face onto the mattress. She tugged off his shoes and got a blanket down out of the top of his closet for him. She left him there and collected a glass of water from the kitchenette.

On her way back she checked on Emmett who was already snoring loudly. He too had fallen face first onto his bed shoes and all so she put the glass down and went in to tidy him up first. She stowed his shoes to one side and covered him with his own blanket.

Nudging Edward's shoulder hard when she got back to his room she was pleased when he did roll over but he stared up at her with glazed eyes. "You need to drink this before you go back to sleep," she told him and held out the glass.

Sitting back on his elbows Edward made a grab for the glass but missed, twice. "Can't," he mumbled and flopped back down onto the bed.

"You'll be sorry in the morning," she giggled and set the glass on the bedside cabinet.

"I won't be if you kiss me goodnight," he chuckled and tried to reach for her. She dodged his hand and was relieved when he gave up and closed his eyes once again.

"Goodnight Edward," she said softly and wiped his hair off the side of his face.

* * *

"This is good Scotch," Judge Charlie Swan says, tipping his glass forwards and back and watching the amber liquid coat the fine crystal.

"Aged twelve years," Retired Senator Billy Black confirms as he pours two fingers into his own glass. Taking a seat opposite his friend he raises his glass in salute and takes a hearty sip. "This place you've sent Isabella," he begins carefully, "they'll send her back in good order, yes?"

"Definitely," Charlie assures. "Renee and Mary Alice checked it out thoroughly and I can assure you that she'll be back fit and healthy and ready to become Mrs Black."

Sipping thoughtfully Billy considered the words before replying. "Good, good," he nods as he sits back and stares at his friend pointedly. As he raises his glass to his lips he muses as though to himself, "It would be an awful shame for this development deal to fall at the last hurdle. You've got an awful lot of personal money invested in this one, haven't you?"

Stiffening at the insinuation Charlie gets the point and leans forward himself. "You know I have," he said as calmly as he could muster. "But I know that you have too, Billy. I'm telling you now, and you know I'm a man of my word, that my daughter will return and marry your son."

Not at all appeased Billy took another sip of the very good Scotch. "And I'm telling _you_ now, Charlie, that if she doesn't, the permits you've pushed through will be held up in so much red tape that it will be Mary Alice' grandchildren who are the first to see the profits of this development."

The threat was clear. If Isabella didn't marry Jacob Black as promised then the real estate development deal Charlie had been banking on to see him into retirement would never see the light of day. He'd known Billy Black his whole life, Carlisle Cullen too, and they'd done business together since they'd graduated college together, and in all those years never had so much been riding on something Charlie couldn't personally contain.

On the other side of town in the very exclusive Country Club to which he was a Platinum member, Carlisle Cullen was reclining in a similar button backed chair sipping a very good aged Scotch of his own.

"Tell me what your plan B is, Jake," he asked as he swished his Scotch around in his glass.

Grinning smugly Jake drained his glass before answering. "I'll be at the altar regardless," he began, "if she shows I'll have a perfectly pliable and rather lovely wife to parade around the campaign trail. If she doesn't I'll be pitied as the poor, broken hearted man who gave all of his heart to a girl who so callously tossed it aside under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Either way I can't lose."

Leaning forward Carlisle spoke very quietly, but very firmly. "Your father and hers too I might add, stand to gain a lot from your union. Personally I don't give a shit if she shows up. As you said, marriage or not you win. I have nothing to gain whether you take the plunge or not. My only concern is that the project goes ahead as planned regardless."

Nodding thoughtfully Jake too leaned forward as he spoke. "I understand what you're saying, Carlisle. Right this very minute my father is having a chat with Charlie Swan and I believe he's being made aware that if his daughter doesn't, shall we say play the game by the rules that have been set down, that the development deal may find itself negotiating some rather hostile political waters." He reached for the bottle on the table between them and added another inch to his glass, sipped it then sat back in his chair.

"My stake in this project should not be tied up with your ability to seal the deal with Charlie Swans daughter," Carlisle hissed across the table.

"In principle I agree. I understand the amount of money we're talking about here and I'd hate for five years of your work to be simply cast aside by the actions of a silly, air headed little girl," Jake conceded.

"Name your price," Carlisle said calmly as though he were negotiating with a roadside vendor on the price of a scarf.

Jake smiled then. He liked Carlisle, always had. He was ruthless and unforgiving and he understood the way the world worked. "For a five percent stake in future earnings I'll guarantee your permits, and the land zoning that goes with them, whether she shows at the church or not."

"Future earnings?" Carlisle asked, hardly able to believe his luck. He'd been willing to go to eight.

"I can't have my name attached to the project until after I win this election," Jake said simply. "Doesn't sit well with the voters if I'm seen to be pushing through a huge real estate development in my states own backyard simply because I've got a stake in it myself. So yes, five percent of future growth earnings or the equivalent in managed capital. I don't mind which. Agree to that and the permits are yours whether she plays the game or not."

"Done," Carlisle said firmly and shifted forwards to offer his hand.

"Excellent," Jake grinned as he shook the hand offered. "Personally I hope she shows," he chuckled. "I do so love watching them cry when their virginities are taken."

As useless as Edward was proving to be right then Carlisle was, for the first time, pleased he'd had a son and not a daughter.

* * *

Rose had stalked the hall outside her office all afternoon waiting for the two guys to get back to camp. She'd barked at the receptionist and she'd all but screamed at a male staff member who'd offered to clean out the boot of her beloved car.

She had her dinner in her cabin as usual then went to the dining hall hoping to see a glimpse of one of the pair and only got madder when she was told they hadn't come back in time for the meal.

She kept the front door of her cabin open all night, despite the freezing wind, and slammed it shut at midnight when they still hadn't returned.

She fell asleep seething at the two men, but mostly at Emmett.

The drive between the fish stall and the camp was ten minutes at the most on a good day, but that day hadn't been a good one. The pelting rain had filled the potholes in the dirt road to capacity and she'd had to go slower than usual to make sure her tiny vintage sport scar didn't bottom out in one of them.

With the heater cranked up as far as it would go to keep the windscreen from fogging up Rose was sweating by the time she pulled into her usual parking space at camp.

Luckily for her she was out of the car when the fish exploded.

Luckily for Emmett she'd already gone to bed by the time he'd come back too drunk to be yelled at effectively.

Unluckily for Emmett it was her face he saw when he stepped out of the cabin just before breakfast the next morning. He'd had no idea why she was so angry and she refused to tell him until they were seated in her office.

"I hope you two made a profit on those fish," Rose sneered once she'd taken her chair.

"Some," he laughed, "We drank most of it last night though," he admitted, holding his head with one hand to ward off his headache. "If this is going to be a lecture about my drinking habits save it," he moaned. "I'm a big boy and I can drink if I want to."

"I don't give a shit how much you drink," she snarled. "That bag of fish you put in my car exploded!" she shouted.

"Christ woman, stop yelling, I'm right here," Emmett moaned at the ear splitting tirade. "My fucking head'll crack open if you keep it up."

"Too bad," Rose hissed. "I'll be sending you both a bill for my car cleaning."

"Fair enough," he sighed.

As per Emmett's usual form he'd done no research on his latest adventure before rushing ahead. He'd had no idea that fish caught using the concussion grenade method would be forced to fill with water and air as the shockwave occurred beneath the surface. He didn't know they'd bloat if they weren't gutted close to when they'd been killed and he didn't know that if they weren't they'd explode if they got warm enough. He knew now though. The smell of fish guts coming from Rosalie's stunning little car could be smelled from as far away as the sporting fields.

"My car smells like a pack of lesbians had an orgy in it!" she screeched, making him wince again.

"Is it a pack of lesbians or a murder?" he chuckled too quickly to realise she wasn't going to laugh.

"I'll fucking murder you," she hissed. "That's a classic car, Emmett," she raged. "It's forty four years old and it's never had a fucking mark on it until now! If the interior is ruined permanently I'll ruin you permanently," she warned over her pointed finger.

"I get it," he moaned as her angry raised voice penetrated his eardrums. "I'll have it cleaned, I promise."

"_I'll_ have it cleaned," she argued. "By professionals. Not some guy you met down the pub."

"Alright," he whined. "I get it. I fucked up. I'll pay for the cleaning."

He looked so sad she didn't have the heart to berate him further. He looked like shit and he'd agreed to pay for the cleaning so she left it at that. Telling him to go and clean himself up and to behave himself she watched him amble up the path to his cabin.

She still had no idea where he'd gotten the fish, and the little stall had done good business if the reports from the locals were anything to go by, but the memory of the exploded fish in her boot made her mad as hell at him. There would be no nice, intimate barbeque fish dinner, that's for sure.

Emmett was happy he'd copped the brunt of her anger but didn't keep the details of their discussion from his roommate when he finally surfaced at midday.

"She's pretty pissed," Emmett confided as Edward downed his third cup of strong black coffee. "You might want to steer clear of her for a bit."

"We had no idea they'd explode," Ed griped.

"I told her that too," Em chuckled. "She's not exactly in a very receptive mood."

"How much cash is left? Is there enough to have the car cleaned properly?" Ed asked as he flopped down on the sofa dramatically, clutching his head.

"Yeah, don't sweat it," Emmett told him as he pulled his wallet from his pocket. "We caught a hundred and twenty eight fish and sold nearly all of them. We spent two hundred bucks last night. If we leave aside a hundred for the cleaning we've still got about a hundred and forty each. Here's your cut," he said as he slapped the notes onto the coffee table.

Edward took the hundred but left the forty there. "That's yours, you had to pay for the grenades," he mumbled as he stuffed the rest of the notes into his own pocket. "I'm not drinking for a week," he moaned as he lay back against the arm of the sofa. "My fucking head's pounding."

Sniggering at how quickly his roommate had embraced bad language and bad habits Emmett got up and made for the door. "I agree," he told Ed as he slipped on his coat. "A week off the sauce'll do you good. I'm off to get some lunch. You might want to go and find Bella and apologise," he chuckled.

It wasn't lost on Edward that Emmett hadn't said he'd take a week off drinking himself.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. **

**Please review. **


	8. Chapter 8

Sundays were quiet at camp because even the corporate guests had free time on the Sabbath. There were no organised activities and no team building exercises that anyone had to be at. Everyone was taking advantage of the sleep in and if they weren't they were quiet as they moved about. So as Edward made his way to cabin number one the camp was virtually silent and still. Just the way he wanted it too because his head was pounding out the William Tell overture with each step he took.

His knock on her door was far too loud and her smile was so blinding as she greeted him he winced in pain.

"Come inside," she cooed softly and tugged his sleeve to make him come indoors out of the cold wind. "I'll make you some coffee," she said as he sank gratefully into the cushions of her sofa.

"Where's Angela?" he whispered.

"She left before breakfast," Bella said quietly as she handed him the cup. "I won't ask how you're feeling," she giggled sweetly as she took a seat beside him.

"I think you can guess," he mumbled after taking a sip, "And thank you for this," he said, raiding his mug. "I'm so sorry for last night. I have no idea what I did but Emmett said I should apologise to you for it."

"You don't remember?" she laughed as quietly as she could when he shook his head. "Well, you don't need to apologise to me. You were actually rather cute."

"Cute?" he asked as he laid his head back and closed his eyes, relieved when the blackness of the underside of his eyelids blanked out the fluorescent overhead lighting. "I doubt I was cute and I am sorry for whatever I did or said."

"You wanted to hold my hand," Bella giggled. "And then you said you wanted to kiss me."

"Oh god," Edward moaned. Moving forwards he put his aching head into his hands and kept saying sorry.

Disappointed that he didn't confirm he still wanted to hold her hand and kiss her Bella hid her eyes from him. "Don't be sorry, it was kind of sweet," she told him, feeling sorry that he felt bad about what he'd said.

"Sweet maybe, but really inappropriate. I know that. You're engaged and I shouldn't say things like that to you," he said as firmly as he could. "I won't be drinking like that again in a hurry I can assure you."

"Might be a good idea," Bella agreed ignoring his comments about her engaged status.

She'd been regretting for a few days that she hadn't removed her ring before setting foot in the camp. She didn't consider herself properly engaged and she didn't like that Edward saw her that way. She knew he thought she was untouchable. She loathed being seen by him as owned by Jake. But most of all she hated knowing that without alcohol in his system he'd never admit what he wanted from her at all.

She had hoped that after what they'd said to one another just the night before that they had an understanding but it was obvious now, from the way Edward was apologising, that that wasn't the case at all.

She had told him the truth. She wanted to be alive with him but that wasn't going to be allowed to happen if he considered her engaged in the truest sense.

Had he been sober last night and he mentioned wanting to kiss her she'd have let him. But he hadn't been sober, he'd been out of his mind drunk and he hadn't made any such advance when he was sober before, so she figured he only had the courage to voice his desires when he'd been drinking.

If she was honest it was the same for her. The times she'd had more than two glasses of wine in his presence made her want to ask for things she shouldn't normally be thinking about too.

They drank their coffee over easy conversation after the apologies were sorted out. Bella was happy to go along with his suggestion that they just watch television that afternoon and was even happier ten minutes later, after they'd both set their empty cups onto the coffee table, when he reached for her hand.

Her whole body experienced a warm rush of sensation and emotion when he fell asleep against her shoulder and it hit a peak when he shuffled his long, lean body in an attempt to get comfortable and ended up with his head in her lap.

She contentedly sat through two hours of an ancient rerun of a murder mystery so she didn't need to disturb him by reaching for the remote to change the channel. He snuffled adorably through half an hour of Judge Judy and mumbled incomprehensively through another half hour long cookery program. Through it all she stroked his hair with nervous fingers. She'd been tentative at first and had grown bolder the longer he slept. It was flecked with copper and was soft to the touch. It curled around her fingertips if she held it in just the right way and by the time he began to rouse from his sleep she was stroking not only his hair but the side of his stubbled cheek as well.

As he came back to consciousness he began to hum at the touch. At first it was a soft muffled half-snore but as he woke a little more he began to hum more loudly as her fingers travelled from his scalp to the point of his chin. The sound would abate at the end of each stroke and begin again once her fingers made contact with his hair. As he slowly opened his eyes it became a deep, rumbling hum that told her that he liked it without him having to utter a word.

He spared no thought for wiping his eyes or adjusting his position as he woke. He was right where he wanted to be and as he looked up he was staring into the eyes of exactly who he wanted to be with.

Curling his fingers around hers as she came to his chin on her third pass since he'd woken he stilled her hand and held it to his lips. He closed his eyes as he kissed her palm once, twice and then a third time. When he released her she cupped his cheek in her hand and smiled down at him.

"Tell me again," she whispered.

He was confused for all of ten seconds and then he too smiled. "I want to kiss you," he said very softly.

Leaning down Bella ghosted her lips across his and ignored the warning signs in her brain that she was doing the wrong thing and inviting trouble. She simply wanted to kiss him, so she did.

Turning to face her and tilting his chin up as far as he could Edward welcomed her lips when they met his. She'd left her hand at his cheek and he liked how it felt as their lips caressed softly back and forth. He raised his own hand and slid it along her cheek and into her hair, pulling her very gently further down.

It was an awkward position, the kiss was nervous and without any pretention and that's what made it so perfect for the pair. It wasn't a study in all the things they did wrong; it was a lesson in all the things they had right.

They were friends and they found one another attractive on an intellectual basis as well as the physical. They had laughed together and shared small pieces of themselves with one another. So the kiss was perfect in all its dimensions.

Respectful but filled with long dormant desire. Parting his lips on instinct the kiss deepened of its own accord and when their tongues met midway they both groaned at the soft caress.

Bella broke the kiss only because her neck was aching from leaning over so awkwardly. As she straightened she smiled to see that Edward had his eyes closed and a smile on his own lips.

Tracing that smile with the tip of her finger Bella whispered 'first' very quietly.

Opening his eyes and clutching at her hand Edward echoed the word himself and snuggled deeper into her lap.

* * *

A comfortable rhythm was adopted by the six friends for the third week of their stay.

The daylight hours were spent on individual pursuits. Edward revelled in the freedom he found playing the underutilised piano and Bella sank into a fictional world of love and sex in her newest novel. Tyler spent his days in the administration block working via video link with the journalist who was writing the piece to go along with his photographs. Angela and Ben spent their days in the pursuit of orgasms and wrapped in a cycle of mutual physical exploration.

The lone wolf, as was usual, was Emmett.

He spent all of Monday's daylight hours trying to catch Rosalie on her own so he could apologise sober. Every time he approached her she told him 'not now' and by the time the sun began to slip over the horizon he was frustrated and getting mad that she wouldn't let him say sorry.

He'd spent all day Sunday trying to catch her, and make her stand still long enough for him to say sorry, but she just wasn't having it. She wouldn't meet his eyes if he did find her and she dismissed him entirely if she could manage it.

Monday afternoon, after hours of fruitless stalking, he waited until he saw her leave the administration building and then he went inside. He asked after her at reception knowing she was out of her office and then asked if he could leave a note for her. After being given permission he placed one hundred dollars on her desk for the cleaning of her car. Annoyed that she was dodging his attentions he decided to inject some humour into the situation. He used a piece of her own stationery and wrote her a note to accompany the money.

In big bold letters he wrote 'Does your car radio have an AM/FM TUNA?' signed the note and left it on her desk with the cash.

He went into town to the pub that night with a spring in his step, sure that he'd given her a giggle and would be allowed to apologise the following day.

On Tuesday, after he was sure she'd been into her office and had seen the note, he tried again to get her to speak to him. This time her excuse was that she was too busy dealing with the repairmen. She actually told him to go and find another staff member if he had a problem! She could've at least let him know whether the money he'd left was enough to cover the cleaning he thought to himself as he stalked back to his cabin.

He sat under his awning all afternoon until he saw her exit the main building and while she was off dealing with whatever it was she was dealing he slipped into her office again. He put another fifty dollars into an envelope and used more of her stationery to write another note. This time he used a thicker black marker and wrote in bigger letters 'Your car sounded a little rough earlier, I hope it doesn't FLOUNDER' and slipped that into the envelope alongside the cash.

He played a brilliant game of pool at the pub that night and won another fifty dollars so he returned to camp with a smile and full pockets in the middle of the night.

He didn't see her all day on Wednesday. He kept a vigilant watch too, but she was nowhere to be seen. He asked all of his friends if they'd seen her but nobody had. Her car was in her parking space so he knew she was on the camp grounds somewhere, but by dinner he'd failed to find her.

His winning fifty dollar note went into an envelope that evening along with a note that read 'I think your paintwork is starting to FLAKE'.

It had been an intense few days for Edward and Bella too. They'd watched a movie on Monday night and had been present when the movie was shown on Tuesday night, but neither of them had paid too much attention to the screen. Instead they'd cuddled up in the back row of seats sneaking tiny, still rather innocent, popcorn flavoured kisses.

There was no movie on Wednesday night so they met at Edward's cabin, leaving Ben and Angela to have the other empty cabin to themselves. The nights were not quite so cold and so they began their evening with a drink on the porch. Edward continued to light Bella's cigarettes before passing them to her and Bella continued to blush each time he did it.

They talked about Bella's newest novel and the relationship between the seemingly nasty pirate captain and his beautiful virginal first mate who was posing as a boy. Bella giggled her way through describing the budding illicit relationship and Edward hung on every word.

Edward talked about the pleasure he got from the piano and admitted to his frustration with the lack of diversity in the printed music available at camp. Wanting to take full advantage of his unrestricted time with the instrument he wished out loud that he'd brought with him from home his hidden and very coveted collection of sheet music.

Bella was quick to remind him that there was a music store in the little town and when his eyes lit up he thanked her for the reminder with a kiss.

And so they decided to take a trip to town the very next day and remedy the problem. Edward had his profit from the fishing trip and Bella had almost her full allowance for the week so they sat for hours talking and planning excitedly. Bella could rummage through the bookstore and Edward could poke around the music store and it sounded like utter bliss to them both. The movie they had planned to watch was forgotten as they made their way through a bottle of very good local Pinot Noir that Bella had bought on the advice of the salesperson at the liquor store. At midnight when they both tried in vain to hide their yawn from the other they said a reluctant goodnight, as they had done on previous nights.

Edward walked Bella to her cabin and they waited under her awning until Ben emerged blushing and thanking them for the privacy he'd been given. They waited until he disappeared into his own cabin before they moved into one another's arms and said their own goodnight.

There was no longer any nervousness or hesitation as their lips met. Bella's hands always found their way into Edward's hair. Edward always held her close, his fingers holding her about her waist as he lost himself in her taste and the feel of her warm, soft lips on his.

A whispered goodnight and a smile always punctuated their parting and each night Bella went inside with a giggle and slept with thoughts of Edward at the forefront of her mind. Edward always skipped his way back to his own cabin and allowed the bliss of sleep to overtake him only after running over her every word and gesture from their shared evening.

Emmett was sullen and withdrawn over breakfast on Thursday morning and nothing any of the friends could say made him smile. He ate in silence and ignored the laughing and joking of the group when a staff member came to their table and informed them that a trivia night was to be held that Saturday. Teams of six could nominate and the prize for the winning team was an expenses paid tour of a local winery.

Five of the friends signed up happily, Emmett signed up too but his lack of enthusiasm was noted by the entire group.

When the meal was done Bella excused herself to her cabin to grab her things for her trip to town and Edward took the opportunity to ask his roommate what was wrong.

"Not a thing, mate," Emmett had sighed as he walked sluggishly beside his friend on the path to the cabins.

"You don't have to tell me, but I'll listen if you do," he promised. He was disappointed with his roommates shrug and tried again. "It's not like you to be this quiet," Edward prodded.

"Nothing to say," Emmett all but growled and Edward knew when he was beaten.

"I'm heading in to town with Bella but you're welcome to join us. Might be a good diversion," he suggested hopefully.

Emmett flopped himself down on the sofa the instant they were inside and Edward knew what his answer was going to before he heard it. "No," Emmett said firmly. "Thanks for the invite though. I'm just gonna hang around here."

Edward slid his wallet into his pocket and put his hand to Emmett's shoulder over the back of the sofa. "If you change your mind we'll be in either the music or book store. Come join us if you get bored, please."

Emmett had waved him away without another word and Edward had no choice but to leave him there and meet Bella on the path, lest they miss their taxi.

He had to admit to Bella that he had no idea what the problem was as they slid into the backseat. He had to admit that he had no expertise when it came to dealing with anyone's problems, even his own. Bella promised to try and talk to him when they returned but had to admit that she had no idea how to help anyone either.

Emmett was happy that his roommate was heading into town and not hanging around camp that day. He didn't feel much like company and was happy to mope his way through the day, his head filled with angry and frustrated thoughts. He'd gotten into a fight in the pub the night before because he had a bad attitude. He'd picked the fight on purpose and he'd gotten out of it exactly what he'd hoped for, a physical release for all the frustration he was feeling.

He didn't have a mark on him, he'd been far too angry to let a punch penetrate his concentration, but he'd woken up that morning a foul mood all the same. The weather matched his disposition perfectly. Dark and stormy.

He found Rose in the main building after breakfast but she was speaking with corporate guests and trying to organise the trivia night and he didn't get the chance to actually speak with her personally. He went looking for her again after lunch but her office door was shut and she didn't reply when he knocked. He knew she was in there because he could hear her tapping the keys on her computer.

That rustled his jimmies more than all the other brush offs so he decided to up the ante. He stalked back to his cabin and got out the mornings newspaper. He cut each individual letter from the mastheads until he'd spelled out 'Why won't you open the DORY for me when I knock?' in lopsided, odd sized newsprint letters. He stuck each of them down with tape he found in the kitchen drawer and then emptied his pockets of all the cash he had into an envelope. Even the coins.

This time he wasn't going to leave it in her office. He was done with that. He never got a response out of her when he did that so this time he was taking a more direct approach. All he had to do was wait her out. He had nothing better to do so he went out under the awning and listened to the rain while he watched the doors of the administration building for her.

Bella and Edward ran through the pouring rain to the little cover the awning over the shopping strip offered. They were both excited to be in town together and stood smiling and laughing as they half-heartedly cursed the rain.

"What do you want to do first?" Edward asked, shuffling his feet back and forth in his excitement.

"Books," Bella giggled, squeezing his hand that she'd held in hers since they entered the taxi at camp. "But I know you're dying to go into the music shop."

Edward reached for her then. She was so excited to be able to visit the bookstore but she didn't want him missing out on the music. She was so sweet he thought as he slid his hand across her cheek and into her hair. "You'll be bored in the music store, but thank you," he grinned. Glancing at his watch he made a quick calculation. "How about turn about?" he suggested. "Half an hour in the bookstore then we go to the music store? Then we'll swap again."

"Perfect," she grinned and tugged his hand towards the bookstore.

They were both so entranced with the books, and with each other, that the agreed upon half hour turned into more than double that as they prowled down the shelves. Every few minutes Edward would hold up a novel over the top of whatever shelf he was standing at and call her name. Bella would look up and tell him yes or no.

He was so tall she could see the titles he held up for her without too much trouble and each time he did it she giggled. They'd only talked about the books she had already read but he knew instinctively what she'd like or what she'd hate, so his selections were more often than not right on the mark.

They met now and then at the end of a row of shelves and each time they did they took the opportunity to connect with one another physically. Edward would reach for her hand as soon as she was within reach and Bella would bring his body closer using her free hand at his waist. Edward would dip his lips to hers and Bella would sigh happily against them.

They'd part again and continue their browsing but each time they were within touching distance they did just that. Edward brushed her hair off her collar once or twice. Bella put her hand to his forearm once or twice as she leaned by him to select another title. But every time they were able to they touched.

Bella had six more novels in her carrier bag by the time they hit the street on their way to the music store and as they approached it Edward's excitement began to make itself known.

He set a blistering pace that Bella was hardly able to match. He talked a hundred miles an hour and as they came to the entrance to the store she could see the shake of his hand as he held the door open for her.

Not wanting to ditch her the instant they were inside Edward did his best to remain by her side, though the lure of the rows and rows of sheet music was swamping him. Recognising his need Bella put her hand to his cheek and smiled, "Go," she told him. "I'll amuse myself, I promise."

He kissed her hard on the lips as quickly as he could and then took off towards the shelving. Bella giggled as she watched him. He looked like a little boy let loose in a toy store as he moved from rack to rack. She was sure he wasn't really focusing on what he was seeing, his excitement just made him want to see everything all at once.

"Can I offer you a drink?" a voice said, startling Bella from her thoughts. The cashier was grinning at her as she turned around. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he said softly. "I've learnt over the years that a coffee machine is a good investment in shops like this," he chuckled while tapping the top of the machine and nodding towards the high barstools that sat under the lip of the counter.

Bella smiled too. His name badge told her this was Pete, the owner of both the bookshop and the music store as Rose had said. "He'll be hours," she laughed, tossing her head in Edward's direction as she took a stool. "And yes, I'd love a coffee. Strong, just black please."

"Coming right up," Pete told her. "I see you've been in the bookstore again."

"Oh yes. I love it in there as much as he's loving this place."

"You from up at Crossroads?" he asked as he slid the steaming cup across to her. When Bella went into her bag for her purse Pete told her that as a 'music store widow' the coffee was on the house.

"Thank you," Bella said with a giggle at his terminology. "We're both from Crossroads, yes," Bella agreed.

Bella could only smile when she heard Edward's squeak of joy at having found something interesting. Pete raised his eyebrows with a grin, "That sound never gets old," he mused. "So tell me all about your stay," he insisted as he sat back on his own stool and raised his cup to his lips.

While Bella espoused the wonder that was Crossroads Edward lost himself in the music. The selection was extensive and Edward had never been in such close proximity of a collection that size before. Not with money in his pocket anyway.

After making his way down the first aisle he moved to the head of the next, after stopping to apologise to Bella first. She waved him away with a smile and told him to 'go for his life'.

And for Edward it did feel like life. Like the perfect life. His girl was sipping coffee and making conversation and he had free reign to indulge his love of music. Life couldn't possibly get any better he thought as he added another sheet to his growing stack.

He had eight pieces chosen by the time he made his way back to Bella's side half an hour later and was once again waved away when he apologised for ignoring her.

"His family don't really let him play," Bella told an amused Pete as he set up for another round of coffee.

"That's criminal. Music feeds the soul," Pete told her. "Did you know that babies that are played classical music sleep better and settle faster for their parents?" he asked.

"I didn't know that, no."

"It's true. There've been studies. It always worked for me anyway," Pete grinned. "What does he play?" he asked.

Bella turned in her seat and watched Edward flick through another bundle of pages. "Piano," she told Pete as she watched Edward. He looked so much younger, his hair flopped forward, his tongue pinned between his teeth in concentration. "It makes him happy," she whispered, her eyes never returning to Pete.

"What's his name?" Pete asked.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Bella said, embarrassed for the oversight. "I'm Bella, he's Edward."

"Good to know you Bella," Pete said sweetly and then turned to face the racks. "Hey Edward, there's a whole row of piano specific stuff in the next aisle over and I've got a petite in the school if you want to test drive any of it," he chuckled.

"You have a piano here?" Edward asked, whipping his head in the direction of the counter.

"Next door," Pete grinned. "It's tiny so don't get excited."

Edward virtually ran back to the second aisle and snatched up two sheets before making his way to the counter. "Can I play these, please?" he all but begged.

"Sure, it's open, go on over," Pete told him with a nod of his head towards the next shopfront over.

Edward didn't hesitate. He was seated at the beautiful miniature grand piano within seconds and playing his first choice of piece in the next.

As his fingers flew across the keys he began to sway. Even on his first go around with a relatively unfamiliar piece the sound he produced was fluid, without stops or gaps and Pete smiled to himself as the music floated out of one shop and into the next.

"He's good," Pete told a stunned Bella. "Very good."

"I had no idea," Bella whispered.

"Go on over," Pete suggested and she was off the stool, her belongings forgotten as she went.

With his back to the front window Bella had to go further into the small space to watch and she smiled to herself as she walked right by Edward and his concentration didn't shift. It was as though she wasn't even really there.

He never took his eyes off the sheet music and he never once looked down at his hands as they sped across the keys. He didn't even break stride when he had to turn the page. She marvelled that he set his hands back in the proper place without having to look first. She couldn't even do that when typing.

Bella didn't know a lot about music, like most people, but Pete must because he owned a store and a music school. So if he said Edward was good she knew he was. But she knew he was happy with his playing regardless of whether or not he was any good. She could see that for herself, without needing a practised ear for what he was trying to achieve. It was all about his body language.

She knew it in the way he held himself on the bench, his shoulders back and his eyes dancing over the lines of notes. She knew that what he was playing was good because he was grinning to himself as he played it. She knew that it was good because Pete had been humming along as she'd left and because there were now three women standing by the storefront windows smiling as they listened.

But mostly she knew it was good because Edward was pleased with what he was producing. Without needing to be told she knew he was a perfectionist when it came to music. Just like he did when she was prattling on about the characters in her books she listened when he talked to her about the piano at camp.

He'd told her that a better quality piano would produce a better quality sound. He'd told her that he'd been yearning for a chance to play on something bigger, stronger and with more sheet music to hand. And here he was. On a better piano with as much music on hand as he liked. And he did like it. She could see it on his face despite his obvious concentration.

When the piece came to its logical conclusion Edward sat back and relaxed his shoulders and hands. He grinned to himself and then up at Bella. "Sorry I ran out on you," he chuckled.

"Don't be, that was wonderful," she told him sincerely.

"It was bloody brilliant, that's what it was," Pete said simply as he made his way into the space. He handed Bella her bags with a smile and took a seat on another bench across from where Edward sat. "If you want to make some cash while you're staying at camp let me know. I'd love for you to meet one of my students in particular, but they'd all benefit from learning from someone who knows what they're doing," he chuckled and wiggled his fingers.

"You teach?" Edward asked, too stunned by the offer he'd been made to say much else.

"I try to," Pete grimaced self deprecatingly. "My wife plays strings and I'm okay on this thing," he said tapping the little grand, "but I trained for percussion originally so I'm hardly qualified to do more than just observe. We both double dip when it comes to this beauty if we have to. I'd really appreciate it if you could spare some time?" he asked hopefully. "Even if it's just once. I have this girl; she's seventeen and she's trying to work out whether to take an arts track at uni or a drafting traineeship. She's good, really good, and I'd love it if you'd meet with her. She just needs to see what's possible with practise."

"I don't know," Edward said truthfully. His music was a hobby, a forbidden one at that. "I don't know what I have to offer her," he said just as truthfully. "I'm not allowed to play at home, and I've never done anything with the lessons I took, so her meeting me won't help your case."

To Pete it seemed strange that a grown man was 'not allowed' to play at home but said nothing about that when he spoke, "I want her to listen to you play. I want her to watch you play so she can see the level of concentration needed to really make the pieces come alive. She's distracted, as most girls her age are. I just think that if she saw and heard you play she'd take it more seriously. An old guy like me telling her she's good doesn't carry much weight," he chuckled.

Neither Bella nor Edward thought he was old. Middle aged maybe, but not old. Looking over at Bella Edward tried to gain some insight into her thoughts but she was just sitting there smiling. It seemed the decision was his alone to make.

"Okay, I can come and play with her. But not _for_ her," he stressed. He knew from experience that just playing on his own over and over was no fun and taught him very little. The best teacher he'd ever had played with him, side by side at the piano itself. He'd learnt more during those few lessons than he had after years of solo practice and he was keen to make that clear. "I won't play _for_ her, we'll play together. She'll learn faster that way and she'll get a proper feel for each piece."

Smiling widely Pete got to his feet and offered his hand. "Deal," he announced, pleased. "She's a local and its school holidays so anytime during the day would be good. Here's my card," he said as he handed it over, "call when you're ready and I'll make sure she's here."

Edward couldn't believe his luck as he sat there staring at the card for a long minute. He was going to be paid to do the thing he loved most? It was surreal.

"I'm so proud of you," Bella whispered, breaking Edward from his thoughts. "You play beautifully."

"Thank you," he croaked through a thickened throat. "Oh shit," he grunted as he stood up too quickly and knocked his knee on the underside of the piano's keyboard, "I forgot to pay for this," he said, holding up the sheet music as he ran out of the school and back into the store.

Bella moved behind him but much slower. She knew Pete wouldn't mind the missing pages and if his enthusiasm for Edward's playing ability was anything to go off he'd probably let Edward away with murder.

With a bag each filled with their chosen vices – Bella's romance novels and Edward's sheet music – they walked hand in hand towards the pub for lunch.

Edward's day got better when the girl behind the bar handed over the book he'd bought Bella the previous weekend. She'd rescued it when he'd gotten too drunk to remember he'd even bought it. He thanked her profusely and proudly handed the book to Bella. She rewarded his kindness with a soft, gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth.

It was dark when they called for a taxi to take them back to camp. They'd spent all of the daylight hours together but they both felt strangely lonely when they split off to go to their respective cabins.

* * *

Emmett sat under the awning ignoring the set down meal times and the invitations of his friends for him to join them for movies and games in the early evening. He just sat there and waited until she was done for the night. He watched her walk the path to her cabin and then he followed.

He knocked on her door and when she answered he said nothing. He held out the envelope and once she'd taken it he turned and left without saying a word.

By the time Rose went to find him he was sitting in the back of a taxi on his way to town. Then it was Rose who sat up most of the night under her awning waiting for him to return.

He never did.

On Friday morning Rose found herself doing something she'd never done in all the years she'd run Crossroads. She took a day off. She didn't leave the grounds but she told all the staff not to disturb her unless it was the direst of emergencies.

She sat in her cabin with the heater on full blast and the front door wide open. She had an envelope with most of Emmett's money it in waiting for him and all of his notes in a pile on her desk.

She kept one eye on the path that ran in front of her cabin for most of the day and when she finally saw him stumbling along it she snatched up the envelope as she leapt from her seat and ran outside.

"Emmett!" she called as she ran, "I need to talk to you."

He stopped mid stride and wobbled just a tiny bit on his drunken unsteady feet. But he did stop. He thought he probably felt worse than he looked but Blondie looked fucking magnificent as she ran towards him. "Hey Blondie," he grinned when she came to a stop in front of him. "I've got no more cash," he grinned as he emptied his pockets, a few coins falling to the ground with a pinging sound. "No idea how mush is there but itsss yours," he slurred.

"I don't want your money," she told him softly. "What happened to your face?" she asked, her hand snaking out towards him before she could check the reaction within herself.

"It's nothin'," he slurred, batting her hand away before she made contact with his skin.

It was mid afternoon, probably early evening if she wanted to be pedantic, and she could smell the alcohol seeping from his pores. He was wrecked and he'd been on the receiving end of a pretty good beating by the look of him. She had no idea where he'd spent the night, or if he'd slept at all and judging by the state of him she guessed that he hadn't.

"I'm sorry I dodged you. I was angry at you," she told him truthfully. "I love that car," she said with sincerity. "I inherited it from my dad so it means a lot to me." She held the envelope out in front of herself and hoped he'd take it back. "The cleaning cost ninety dollars so that's all the money you've been leaving for me minus that amount."

He took what she held out but shrugged his shoulders in defeat. "I was broke but I won shum money in a fight lash night so I had enough," he slurred sadly, clutching the envelope, "But thanksss for thisss."

"You were fighting for money?" she asked, horrified.

He ignored her question, and her reaction. He did look her in the eye when he spoke next though because his apology was a sincere one, drunk or not. "I'm really shorry about your car," he told her quietly. "I'll leave you alone now."

She let him go when he moved away only because she couldn't stand to look at his bruised lips and swollen eyes any longer. She wanted to comfort him and tend to his wounds. She wanted to see him to his cabin and make sure that he was warm. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and ask him to stop drinking so much and she wanted him to promise her that he wouldn't fight for money ever again.

But she did none of those things. What she did do is turn to watch him walk to his cabin and once he'd gone inside she went back inside hers.

He was a guest and she had no right to ask him to promise anything. She was the director and manager of the camp and it was her job to make sure that he had everything he needed during his stay and that was all. What he chose to do while he was there was his business. Even if that included drinking until his liver packed in.

* * *

Saturday was busy at Crossroads. It was the last day that this group of corporate guests would be with them and it was also the first of the really big night time events.

The trivia night was always popular. It was rare that private guests didn't participate in the fun. Of course the corporate guests weren't given a choice, but they always had a good time too despite their required attendance.

A set meal was to be served at large round tables in the dining hall so the camp staff was busy mid morning moving the larger tables from the conference centre to the dining hall.

A seating chart was made and printed by Rose and then taped to the windows at the entrance to the hall. Kitchen staff scurried about all day preparing the giant roasts that would feed the entire camp all at one sitting.

Each table was laid out for this meal, unlike the 'help yourself' buffet style meals that were offered usually. Local students from a culinary school, and a few sons and daughters of local residents too, made a few extra dollars helping to serve and clean up so it was a much awaited event each time it was held at Crossroads.

Mid afternoon the private guests heard a loud scraping and rumbling and they all came outside to watch as three metal trolleys were wheeled along the path in front of their cabins.

The noise didn't help Emmett's splitting head but even he came out to watch the comings and goings.

The first held two enormous speakers, the second the sound system to match and the third – complete with two staff members either side to ensure its safety – was a giant metal and smoked glass cocktail bar.

It normally lived in the conference centre and was used by the corporate groups during their parties, exhibitions and symposiums, but that night it was to be used by everyone.

The sight of it with its towering metal hood made all the private guests excited. All except Emmett who stood, arms crossed over his chest, barely taking in the scene. Once he'd seen what had made the noise he went back indoors and wasn't seen again until the festivities began.

But the others were excited and for them the fun of a trivia night had the girls scurrying for something 'special' to wear and the men taking extra showers and extra care shaving.

Edward was no exception. He'd showered at first light as was his habit but he did so again at six in the evening. He'd washed and pressed his favourite shirt and some dark charcoal dress pants and was fidgeting annoyingly trying to decide whether or not the occasion called for a tie. He loathed ties. They were constrictive and he associated them with work. Any mention or thought of work sent his body into a panicked shiver so it was a simple decision in the end to not wear one.

The thought of a trivia night panicked Bella too but for very different reasons.

Girls weren't revered for being smart in her home. Females were expected to be demure and defer to men, not attempt to best them at games. She was nervous and eager to see for herself how the corporate women would handle themselves.

She was good naturedly bullied into wearing a dress by Ange and she'd worn an extra coat of mascara off her own back but that was where Bella drew the line at preparations.

She was pleased to be collected by Edward five minutes before the meal time and happily took his hand as he led her down the path, but her stomach was in knots with worry as they approached the hall.

Long lines snaked away from the front doors and as they took their place at the end of it they made small talk with other pairs and singles around them. The whole camp had an expectant air around it. The corporates were glad of a little pre-going-home-to-reality fun and the private guests were anticipating being social with a larger group for the first time in three weeks.

While waiting for the doors to be opened Bella learned that the two women in front of her were from a small paper products firm in the city, and that the four men behind her were from a metal recycling conglomerate whose head office was in Dubai. Further down the line were six sales reps from a footwear company and further back was a pair of librarians who had roped in two accountants, another sales rep and a managing director to form their team.

Angela and Ben, having stolen a few extra minutes alone in her cabin before coming down the path, were introducing themselves to a group of baking apprentices who had been sent to camp to learn teamwork.

Tyler was further back still and was being told how 'cute' his curly hair was by a team of older ladies who worked at the same paper products company as those in front of Bella and Edward.

Emmett was at the very end of the line, standing away from all the groups, sucking the life out of a cigarette.

He hadn't uttered a word to anyone for hours. They'd all seen him sitting outside smoking one cigarette after another, but he'd not said a word. Edward had tried to speak to him as he'd returned after his day in town but he'd been met with a grunted answer when he asked if his roommate was alright and a nod when he told Emmett it was time to get ready. Other than that he kept his gaze on the dining hall and his mouth firmly shut.

Rose stood at the head of the line and greeted every participant personally. She loved these nights. She loved the noise and the fun and the excitement but most especially she loved sending the corporate groups home with memories of a good time, rather than just the thoughts of organised activities and seminars.

She knew she'd see Bella and Edward together in the line and couldn't quite suppress her smile when she saw their hands linked as they approached. She wrote their names in thick black marker onto two sticky name tags and handed them over with a 'welcome' and a 'good luck' before greeting the next group.

She missed the shock on Edward's face as he read Bella's name tag because she was busy looking for Emmett, who she assumed wouldn't be too far away from his roommate.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading.**

**Please review. **


	9. Chapter 9

Bella did notice the shock on Edward's face but she had no idea it was shock. To her he looked as though he was about to be sick.

They walk through the doors, still hand in hand, but now his hand is squeezing hers to the point of pain. His expression makes her think he's about to either explode or implode.

"What is it?" she whispers as they near their allocated table.

He shakes his head quite firmly and with a grim set to his lips pulls her chair out for her. Expecting him to take his seat beside her, where his place card sits, Bella is confused when instead he stalks away to the cocktail bar leaving her there without a word. The table fills quickly as their friends join them and when all the other seats are taken Edward returns with an open beer for himself and a glass of white wine for Bella. He sets her glass in front of her in silence and then takes his seat. He slides his place card under the coaster that's sitting to its left and scowls at hers.

About to ask him what's wrong for the second time Bella's attempt is thwarted by the announcement that dinner is about to be served. Conversation around their team table turns light and jovial. Tyler and Ben are placing bets as to which of the other tables is the main competition and for once Emmett isn't interested in a wager. That strikes both Bella and Edward as odd.

Feeling bad for not keeping her promise to talk to him Bella does her best to engage him. He's as morose as Edward and she finds herself sitting between two very pensive men.

Bella's mood is noticed by Emmett, as is the mood of his roommate. Bella looked almost frightened, Edward concerned. Emmett was worried because if his roommate had done anything to bother the girl he was going to hate having to beat his ass. He really liked Edward and he felt protective of Bella, but a beat down would still result if the guy had done anything to hurt the shy young woman to his right, friends or not.

Dinner was a study in deliciousness and excess. Huge platters of roast meats were held aloft by smartly dressed waiters and waitresses and each guest could choose for themselves what variety of meat they'd like. Each of the round tables was piled high with platters of vegetables and baskets filled with warmed bread. Dishes of salads and tureens of sauces and gravies were set either side of the flowered centrepieces, jugs of iced water stood at intervals.

Small, elegantly printed wine lists sat beside each plate. On the reverse side was a list of elaborate cocktails and pairs of waiters took orders throughout the meal. The cocktail bar was doing steady business as the meal wore on.

With an open bar Emmett didn't look the gift horse in the mouth and drank more than he ate. Edward chose a red from the wine list and he and Bella both had several glasses of it over the meal, but they'd also both tried two of the cocktails each as well.

Everyone at their table was giggly and excited by the time the dishes were swept away after dessert and were replaced by two white cards. Another card was put in the centre of the table.

One card was filled with a grid, the question numbers down the left hand pane and neat lines for the answers to the right. The other card was a list of rules for the game. The third card, in the centre of the table, was for the groups collective answers.

With a few drinks under their belts the guests, both private and corporate, were excited to begin the game. Edward tried his best to put his worries aside as Rose took to the makeshift podium and ran through the rules.

There were to be one hundred questions all of which would be general knowledge. She would read the question through twice and then the teams would have sixty seconds to debate the answer.

Rose explained that the sections would start off with easy questions and progress to harder and harder ones as the game wore on. That didn't bode well for those who were drinking, Rose explained, and usually meant there were a few 'questionable' answers by the end of the evening. She stressed that the whole idea was to have fun and to 'go your hardest' with regard to the answers.

Each team member had a personal sheet; the separate answer sheet on the table was for the team as a whole, and individuals should feel free to write whatever they liked on their own sheets. The team, however, must reach a majority vote and write that answer on the team sheet.

Rose asked each team to nominate a team leader who would write on their own sheet as well as the team one. Tyler was nominated for the team at table two because he was the only one who would be sober at the end of the game.

It was explained that if a team member didn't agree with the group's decision they should feel free to write down their own answer as individual prizes for the highest personal scores would be given for teams and individuals at the end.

The game would be split into ten equal parts, ten questions each, and in between there would be a ten minute break except for between rounds five and six. A longer break would be had then, Rose would declare half time and supper would be served for those who wanted it. Drink orders would be taken during all the breaks. Any team wishing to default could do so during breaks. That was met with a rousing cheer from some of the corporate tables as they teased their colleagues.

While the prizes were decided at the end of the game there would be music and nibbles and guests should feel free to dance and mingle.

Rose asked if there were any questions and when the room stayed silent she announced the game would begin.

The first ten questions were easy. What did the four 'C's stood for with regard to diamonds, how many blank squares are there in a game of Scrabble, and the like.

The team at Bella's table was quite confident they'd gotten all ten questions right and during the first break they ordered a round of celebratory drinks.

Edward seemed more at ease as he sipped his cocktail and even Emmett had relaxed as the questions were given.

Round two questions were trickier, but not impossible. What wedding anniversary is denoted by the giving of 'Gold' gifts, name the two actors who played Batman and Robin in the original television version of the comic and how many stripes are there on the American flag? Emmett and Tyler were pleased they had some 'Seppo's' at their table and when the break came they thanked their international friends by ordering a flaming cocktail for each of them that was delivered in glasses so big they looked like crystal buckets.

Bella wondered if Edward was setting out to get deliberately drunk when he started ordering two drinks at a time from the passing waiters during the breaks. He gulped the first drink and took a little more time with the second, but his intention was becoming more clear. Emmett just drank both of his in quick succession. Emmett was obvious about wanting to be inebriated, Edward not so much, but Bella noticed.

By the time round five started the whole table was more than a little tipsy and getting quite mouthy. They weren't alone. All of the tables were getting steadily drunk and the debates about answers were getting decidedly serious.

When half time was called Bella excused herself from the table, citing the need to powder her nose. Edward rose from the table but stayed in the dining hall as she made her way back to her cabin. She was disappointed with his absence. She had hoped he'd follow her, or at least offer to walk with her so she could question him about his mood shift.

She took her time using the bathroom in the cabin and wasted another few minutes staring off into space trying her hardest to think what his problem could be. Was he upset about a remark one of the other guests had made in line? She didn't think so, everyone had been very friendly. Had he and Emmett had 'words' before coming to the hall? Did he not like what she was wearing? Was his stomach upset? Was he worried that she wasn't smart enough to contribute to the answers? Was he second guessing being with her, in her company? She had no clue and it didn't look likely that Edward was going to give her one either.

Deciding to ask him as soon as he was sober enough to answer the question Bella made her way back to the dining hall. This time, when she approached the table, Edward was nowhere to be found. Emmett mouthed the word 'mensroom' and then went back to watching the podium. In fact Edward missed the round six questions altogether. He came back during the break and again ordered two drinks for himself. He only nodded at her when she asked if he was alright.

But Edward wasn't alright. He'd raced back to his cabin the instant Bella had disappeared from view on her own break. He turned his cell phone on for the first time in weeks and ignored the incessant beeping of all his missed texts and messages. Opening a browser page he typed her family name, the area he knew her family to reside in and her father's title into a search box and hit search. Running his thumb up and down the edge of the page he read the information as quickly as he could as the page scrolled and cursed over and over at what he read. Squinting at the tiny picture at the bottom of a profile page he cursed. She _was_ Isabella Swan! He'd only twigged to it when Rose had put her name tag on but the instant he'd seen her full name printed he'd known. He hadn't needed the internet search to know it, he'd known it before, but now that he had the proof of it in his hand he felt ill.

The sick, churning feeling he'd had in his gut all night made him gag as he read the family bio. She _was_ Judge Charlie Fucking Swan's youngest daughter!

Alcohol and a roast dinner made their way out of his stomach and out of his mouth with a fiery urgency and he only just made it to the bathroom when they did. He retched and retched until his chest and cheeks ached and then he rinsed out his mouth and swished some of Emmett's mouthwash around and around.

He looked like hell. Half cut from drinking so steadily and pale and ill from worry as he looked at himself in the mirror. "Judge Charlie Fucking Swan," he hissed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Just my fucking luck," he growled before wiping his face with the hand towel.

He waited outside the dining hall until Rose announced another break. When she did he slid back into his seat beside Bella and waved down the first waitress that came even remotely close to the table. He waved away Bella's concern with the best smile he could muster and downed the first of his two new drinks in quick time. With his gut empty he knew the alcohol was going to hit him hard and for the first time ever he didn't care. He'd welcome the hangover the next morning. Anything was better than the prospect of admitting to Bella that he knew her, and her rotten father, and her sister, her mother – aw hell, anything was better than admitting he'd played a part in her fucked up situation.

The room was rowdy now so quiet conversation was almost impossible and Bella had to let go of her need to question Edward. He refused to respond to her in any way other than to smile weakly. The drink was flowing freely and the corporate guests were taking full advantage of it, as were the men at her table. Minus Tyler who still refused all offers. Ange had given up the alcohol and had started ordering soda between rounds three and four and Bella had only ordered one more glass of wine since then. She wanted a clear head for the questions and hoped she'd be able to question Edward at some point too. Doing that drunk would do nothing.

Rose had seen it all before. The questions were getting harder and harder. The alcohol was loosening everyone's tongues and their normally shy interactions at work were tossed aside as team member pitted themselves against team member. She knew there would be quite a few 'dissenters' who would be writing down their own answers and going against the pack mentality by the time round six came to its end.

Bella was nervously conscious that at home a woman being smart wasn't a plus and nor was it particularly encouraged. In the earlier rounds she'd gone along with the general consensus with the answers, but with a few more drinks under her belt she began to get frustrated that the four guys at the table were riding roughshod over her and Angela. It wasn't that their opinions didn't count it was more that the four men were voting against the two women continually, even when it was clear that the women knew what they were talking about.

By the third question of the seventh round Bella was fuming mad. Totally sober now, while the men – minus Tyler – were rolling drunk she thought her opinion would carry more weight than three drunk guys and was pissed to find that it didn't. It was an economic question and Bella was sure she knew the answer, and it wasn't the one the men had come up with. She pled her case in the time allotted but they wouldn't budge. In a rare act of defiance Bella wrote down her own answer and ignored the group.

Most of the players were sipping water by the time round eight began and those that weren't were no longer taking the game so seriously. Emmett was nicely socially lubricated and had started talking smack with one of the guys on the table behind them. Edward was slumped in his seat and no longer had an opinion of his own. He threw his vote in with the guys out of habit in the end. One of the corporate tables had thrown in the towel altogether and another, to avoid being teased by their colleagues, had taken to answering the questions with only filthy answers. The table closest to the podium had torn up their sheets and two women at another table were snoring.

Edward was drunk and incapable of giving an opinion by the time they finished the eighth round. His head was swimming with other thoughts, none of which were helpful to the team, so he sat quietly while the others debated the answers and wrote down the majority voted ones on his sheet.

Round nine always separated the men from the boys. When the question 'What man has the most statues dedicated to him' was asked the table of private guests was divided. Tyler, Angela and Edward wanted to write Jesus. Bella, Emmett and Ben wanted to write Budda. For the first time all night the team was divided evenly. There could be no majority vote. Edward, much to Bella's disgust, shouted across the table that it should be 'bros before ho's' and the boys decided they would go with Jesus and that they'd leave Angela and Bella to choose for themselves.

'Which continent is divided into the most countries' caused another rift. This time it was five to one, Bella being the one. Angela actually had no idea. Everyone else was sure it was Asia but Bella was sure it as Africa. Again the group was divided. Bella wrote down Africa and shook her head at the stubbornness of the others.

With two questions of the game left to go Edward gave up. He doodled on the reverse side of his answer sheet and chuckled quietly when Bella threw him an exasperated look for drawing a penis with an eye patch.

Emmett was beyond caring and drew boobs on his answer sheet where the next answer should go. Tyler went with what was left of the group and Ben was nodding with glassy eyes as the last question was posed.

'How many gold medals did Russia win at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles' was the question and immediately Bella knew it was a trick.

"They boycotted," she announced as she wrote zero on her sheet.

"Nah, that was when they were in Germany," Emmett slurred and drew a caricature of Snoopy on his sheet.

"I'm telling you," Bella began through gritted teeth, "Russia boycotted in '84."

"Whatever," Emmett shrugged and took another swig of his beer.

The others, Edward included, said they didn't care what Tyler wrote on the team sheet.

A loud cheer went up when Rose announced the game was done. Waiters collected all the sheets from the tables and then Rose gave over the stage to a hired DJ who cranked up the music as streams of people made their way to the cocktail bar.

The mood at Edward's table was hardly pleasant. None of them were confident they'd be visiting the local winery as a prize but they were sure they wouldn't come last either. Over yet another round of drinks for the men bets were taken that that honour would be bestowed on the bakers apprentices who had been less than serious during the game.

Emmett watched Rose take the answer sheets into the kitchen and sat back in his chair to watch the door. He ignored everyone else at the table, including a mouthy Edward who was doing his best to get his roommate involved in the conversation so he wouldn't have to talk to Bella.

Bella, fed up with being ignored by Edward, laughed at by Ben who was convinced she was wrong on those two questions and was not making it subtle that he was looking forward to being proven right, and being looked at with something between pity and confusion by Ange.

A few couples took to the dance floor while the DJ did his thing. Bella, risking a look at Edward as he downed yet another drink, was shocked to see his bloodshot eyes over the rim of his glass. Hoping to distract him from ordering another drink, or accepting one when either Ben or Emmett ordered again, she leaned over to him. "Would you like to dance?" she asked.

Thinking about the irony that just the day before he would've accepted her offer, or offered himself, Edward shook his head. "I can't," he answered instead.

"Can't or won't?" Bella asked before she could stop the impulse.

"Can't," Edward croaked, looking slightly ill again.

Bella returned her eyes to her place setting and tried to reconcile the Edward she knew with the man sitting beside her now. He'd been cold towards her all night. He'd joined in Ben's ribbing and had drunk far more than she'd ever seen him drink to date. But what bothered her more than any of that was his lack of affection towards her. For weeks he'd been anxious to be near her, to hold her hand at any opportunity. He'd spent hours kissing her in the past week and now, nothing. It was as if he was deliberately keeping his body angled away from her as he talked to Tyler to his right.

Bella thought about her predicament and decided on the lesser of two evils. Edward was being awful towards her but Emmett was simply being quiet. So, leaning over towards Emmett to her left she whispered, "Can I have one of your cigarettes please?" and when he handed her his pack, along with his lighter, she took both and excused herself from the table to go outside. Edward made no move to follow.

The minute she was out of the room Ange leaned across the table and pointed at Edward. "What's wrong with you?" she demanded with a scowl.

"Drunk," Edward slurred, using his inebriated state to cover for the fact that he was being consumed by guilt on the inside.

"Drunk is no excuse for being an asshole," Angela scowled but was met with a glare and a shrug by way of a retort from Edward.

Ange huffed and turned back to Ben, angry and hurt on Bella's behalf that Edward had been so obviously mean to her half the night. She had no idea what was going on with the couple but she was going to ask as soon as she got her roommate alone.

The awkwardness at the table was broken when Tyler's mobile rang. Checking the caller ID he winced before answering and asking his caller to please hold while he found a quiet spot to talk. He made his way outside and looked for Bella. He saw her with a small group at the end of the dining hall so he turned right out of the doors and went in the opposite direction.

Bella stood away from the other smokers and drew on hers slowly. She was in no hurry to get back inside. When the first was down to its filter she lit another and leaned back against the wall of the dining hall and stared out at the night.

She had no idea what was going on within her group. Emmett looked catatonic. Ben was patronising and Angela looked as stunned as Bella by the guys behaviour. But what struck Bella hardest was Edward. Even on their first day at camp, when they hadn't known each other from Adam, he hadn't been this outwardly disinterested in her. He'd been shy, sure, but he had been polite and well mannered with everyone despite that.

He'd been chatty and attentive during the days prior. They'd had lunch together and even though they'd been apart in the afternoon – while Bella read and he played the piano in the conference centre – he'd come to her cabin to collect her in good spirits in the early evening. In line, before dinner and the game, he'd been perfectly fine. They'd chatted with those around them and he'd held her hand throughout. He'd been smiling and laughing and had seemed himself.

What had caused his mood shift she didn't know? She couldn't even blame alcohol because he'd been totally sober when they'd stood in line. It was only after going in through the doors that his demeanour had shifted and Bella had no idea why. Plus he'd been drunk before and if anything alcohol made him more affectionate towards her. But not this time.

Stubbing out her second cigarette with her toe she looked back up the path towards those very same doors and decided right then and there that she'd had enough for one evening.

Taking a longer route she made her way up the slope of the path and went to cabin number two. She left Emmett's pack and lighter on the table under its awning and then went back to her own cabin.

She showered quickly and slid between the cool sheets of her bed with a heavy head and heart.

Edward wasn't surprised that she didn't return and he was pleased that she didn't. His gut was churning and his brain wouldn't switch off as he sat with his arm along the back of her abandoned chair in the dining hall. Emmett threw him a few 'looks' but he shook his head as minutely as he could and returned his eyes to the others at the table each time.

When Rose took to the podium and the music died down Bella's absence became like a hot poker to his gut as he turned in his seat to hear the results of the game. He'd driven her away with his behaviour and even though he felt bad about that it was just a tiny piece of what he deserved.

"I'd like to thank everyone for taking part," Rose began. "There were certainly some mature audience answers this time," she chuckled and two of the baker's apprentices stood up and took bows to the delight of the rest of the room.

"Dickheads," Emmett grumbled to the amusement of the rest of his table.

"The results have been tallied," Rose announced as a hush came over the room. "In third place overall we have table number six on eighty four points." A loud cheer from that table – a group of accountants. "Second place goes to table number two on eighty seven points."

Ben gave Tyler a high five and held his fist out for Emmett to bump at the win. Angela rolled her eyes and accepted a fist bump too but Edward ignored the rest of the group and stared at the podium stony faced.

"And that leaves our winners," Rose began, the excitement in the room reaching a fever pitch. "Just three points ahead on ninety points is table number thirteen!"

"Fuck," Edward hissed as the group of librarians got to their feet and accepted the congratulations of the tables around them.

"What's the problem?" Tyler asked Edward, confused by his reaction.

Downing the rest of his drink Edward wiped the back of his hand across his lips and stood. "We bullied Bella out of exactly three answers," he sighed and pushed his chair back under the table.

"You don't know those are the three answers, mate," Emmett attempted to soothe but Edward was beyond hearing logic.

"Whatever, I'm done," Edward announced and made for the door.

As he reached it Rose tapped the microphone. "Our individual winner for tonight is Isabella Swan from table number two. Bella is one of our private guests and I have to say she kicked your asses," Rose chuckled. "She won by four clear points on ninety eight," she said but frowned when she looked towards the table and saw the two empty seats.

"Motherfucker," Edward griped as he made his way to his cabin.

* * *

The second report wasn't as vague as the first Mary Alice thought as she read over it. There was a lot more detail – detail she knew was a lie – but it still wasn't going to be enough to placate her mother. She knew that as she read over it.

"There isn't even any indication of her progress," Renee whined before lifting her dainty tea cup to her lips once more.

"I'll speak to someone," Mary Alice assured her mother, all the while wishing she'd had the foresight to contact Rosalie _before_ the next report was due. "I might not have made myself very clear when I spoke to the therapist the first time," she conceded though it was anything but the truth.

"Any therapist worth his salt would know to include a projection of performance," Renee huffed. "How am I supposed to know if she's getting closer to being cured?"

Guessing that silence was by far the better option Mary Alice nodded and appeared to continue to read the report. Her mother's choice of language was abhorrent. What on earth was a projection of performance? Did she expect to get an itemised list of all the things 'wrong' with Isabella and watch them steadily marked off week by week?

And as for a cure...well, in Mary Alice' opinion Isabella wasn't ill. She was suffering, that was true, but it wasn't because of any illness.

Yes, she was going to have to contact Rose and see if a few more 'details' of recovery could be added to the next report.

"I'll call early our Monday evening. I should be able to catch the director then," she told her mother and waited for the obligatory grilling.

"I don't know why they refuse to speak to me," Renee whined and Mary Alice had to work hard not to show the amusement on her face.

Wanting to say 'because then you'd find out that Crossroads isn't quite what you thought it was, mother' Mary Alice told her mother the story she and her husband had cooked up instead. "You know why, mother. Think about your reputation if it ever came out that _you_ sent your daughter to a sanatorium to be cured. You know its better that it's Jasper's name on her admittance papers."

Hoping she'd injected just enough protectiveness into her spiel Mary Alice held her breath while Renee considered the statement. She knew she'd successfully outsmarted her mother again when the older woman's eyes softened and she reached across the table for her daughter's hand.

"You're such a good girl," Renee simpered. "Always thinking of me. Why Isabella can't be more like you I'll never know."

Later that evening, as Mary Alice reclined on her husband chest in their bed, she once again questioned the wisdom of the choices she'd made.

"Sweetpea, you have to give it some time," Jasper consoled. "Rosalie chooses who to help carefully. She's smart and I trust her and you should too. If she didn't think she could help your sister she never would have taken her on. You know that. We've talked about that."

"I know," she whispered. "I just wish that place was here, at least on the same continent. I just wish I could see her, see that she's okay for myself."

"I know darlin," he crooned as he stroked her hair. "I'll call Tyler in the morning; see if he's got anything else to add."

"Thank you," Mary Alice whispered into the dark.

True to his word Jasper called Tyler the very next morning. It was midnight in Australia and Tyler explained that it wasn't too late to call because he was on a break from a rather amusing trivia night.

"Ah, trivia night at Crossroads," Jasper chuckled, "That was a pretty good night from what I remember. Let me guess, free drink and the last night of camp for the corporate pirates equals loud, lewd and plenty of cheating."

"You got it in one, mate," Tyler laughed. "I've got ten minutes, fifteen max, shoot," he told his friend, knowing it wasn't a social call.

"Mary Alice is worried," Jasper began. "The reports are great, but Renee is questioning the lack of detail. Any chance you can ramp it up, just a little?"

"Will do," Tyler agreed. "And tell Mary Alice that her sister is just fine. She's been to town almost every day this week and she's becoming more and more openly affectionate with Ed each day. There's something brewing, if their behaviour tonight is anything to go by, so I'll update you as soon as I know something. But for now everything is on track and on target."

"Something brewing?" Jasper asked hopefully. "Do you think she's nearly ready to go against her parents?"

"I don't think so, not yet," Tyler told his friend. "She's still very timid but I think pairing her with Ed was a good idea. They're good for each other. I can see that already. But they aren't exactly playing happy families tonight. They might have had a fight, I'm not sure."

"Are you ready to give me an actual name?" Jasper asked cautiously.

"Mate, you know I checked him out thoroughly before he even set foot here, just like I did with you," Tyler laughed. "He's not an axe murderer or anything."

"Yeah, I know you would have," Jasper sighed. "I'd just really like to know who this Ed guy is for myself, and for Mary Alice too I suppose."

"Rosie and I would never have let him anywhere near your sister in law if we didn't think he was worthy," Tyler chuckled. "And normally I wouldn't divulge that information, you know that. But in this case I think you might actually be able to help me, and Rosie agrees. He's not contacted home since he's been here. No contact with anyone outside the country either that I know of. He's made friends easily here so I have no idea what his issues were at home. He's nice too. Friendly. A bit shy but everyone who comes here is at the start. But, he's come here without a dollar in his pocket even though the family is loaded, and at his age you'd expect him to have either come with trust fund money or he'd have been earning on his own for a while. So why he's come with nothing is the big mystery, mate."

"I came with nothing," Jasper offered only to be cut off mid sentence.

"That was different," Tyler interjected. "You were so high you didn't know where you were. Plus, you were just eighteen. This guy is a grown man. It makes no sense to me. This guy was and is as clean as a whistle. No drugs and I'd be willing to bet that the first beer he had here was the first ever. He's been paired with an Aussie guy who's got a bit of a thing for raising money in some pretty interesting ways, so Ed's not missing out on anything. But there's something I'm either not seeing or some piece of info I'm missing."

Jasper, reeling from being reminded of his drug habit so long ago, was just as intrigued as Tyler was about this Ed. "And you have no clue why he's there? Was he sent, like Isabella?"

"Yeah, the parents made the booking. As far as I can tell the guy himself had nothing to do with the planning. The only thing in his file is that he had some sort of breakdown on the job. No specifics. No reports. No references. Nothing."

"Could it just be a holiday?" Jasper asked.

"Nope," Tyler clucked. "The mother is pretty specific when she calls for updates. Like Renee she wants to know if he's cured yet. Is he eating? Is he sleeping? All that sort of thing. He's been sent here for a reason but I have no idea what that might be."

"So what makes you, and Rosie I suppose, think that this guy is good for my sister in law?"

Tyler had to chuckle then. "Because they are so fuckin cute together. I don't need this guy's entire history to know that he's a good guy. Apart from tonight I've never seen either of them together without a smile on their faces. But I'll admit that without a bit more info I haven't a clue how to help him."

"He's American, right?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah. From near you, actually. So if I give you a name will you check him out for me? Just something about the family that isn't already available online. Maybe a bit about his job or his friends. His earning history and maybe, if it's possible, check out any trust funds or any other annuity he's got coming to him? Like I said, all his application said was that he had a bit of a breakdown on the job. Nothing else. Total mystery. So if you can give me anything else I'd appreciate it. Might help me work out better why he's here."

"Give me a name and I'll see what I can do," Jasper agreed.

"I don't want to say it out loud; these walls have ears and all that. So I'll text you as soon as we hang up. Look, I've gotta go back in, they're announcing the next round. As soon as I have news I'll call you, and you do the same. But for right now everything's travelling nicely here."

"Thanks, we appreciate it," Jasper assured his friend and ended the call. He called out for his wife and once she'd joined him in his home office he relayed the conversation to her.

"Did he say whether she was still wearing the ring?" Mary Alice asked after a few moments silence as she digested what she'd been told.

"I didn't ask and he didn't say."

Smiling at the thought of her sister being openly and publically affectionate towards this boy Ed. That was certainly new. Bella had never shown an interest in anyone before. Rose obviously knew what she was doing. Smiling to herself she leaned across the desk and kissed her husband square on his lips. "Remember to ask next time, please," she purred and left him to his work.

When Tyler's text message announced it presence Jasper jumped on his cell phone eagerly. The name he saw made him gasp in shock. "Well, wouldn't that just kick a guy right in the nuts," he muttered before deleting the incriminating text message.

* * *

There were quite a few sore heads at Crossroads post-trivia-night and none more sore than those in cabin number two.

Edward had hit his pillow within seconds of leaving the dining hall the night before, so his was your standard hangover. He was groggy, his brain was pounding up a storm and his mouth felt like a parrot had shat in it.

Emmett's hungover state, however, was something to behold.

With an open bar he'd gone to town. He'd downed what was probably close to his body weight in alcohol over the course of the night and when he'd been too drunk to lift another glass to his mouth one of the bakers apprentices had shoved a straw in his beer for him. Such helpful lads those bakers!

So he'd drunk some more. And then some more. He was loud, obnoxious and having a blast by the time Rose announced last drinks at two in the morning. The music had wrapped up at one thirty even though the dancing had ended half an hour before that. The DJ had long since packed up and the waiters and waitresses were dead on their feet after such a long night, but Emmett hadn't been done partying.

Still reeling from his less than satisfying interactions with Rose during the week he'd been out to not only drown his sorrows but to strangle, stab and bury them as well.

Emmett had been on a mission.

Only total sensory oblivion would take away the pain in his chest and his mind.

Ordering two 'travellers' from the bar Emmett had taken the two beer bottles out of the dining hall and was heading towards his cabin when the bakers had called out for him to join them on the playing field for an extension of the party.

Never one to drink alone when there was an audience to be enjoyed Emmett had readily agreed. He thought he'd found some likeminded companions when he got to the low-level bleachers that lined the far side of the field and spotted an esky brimming with more beer.

Introductions had been made and the traditional 'wadda ya do for a crust mate' give and take was had. Emmett might have been the oldest member of the group, but he was far and above the most irresponsible and he set about proving that with tales of his years of pranks and escapades.

The younger boys had everything Emmett was looking for. Beer, cigarettes because Bella had taken his, and an appreciation for all things funny and dangerous. Emmett had been their new best friend.

The apprentices were enthralled by his tales and being just as inebriated as he was settled in for a big one. They had more than enough beer under their belts _before_ going to the field. Now they were merely 'topping up' their drunkenness in an effort to keep up with Emmett's extraordinary tolerance for alcohol.

At four, when the beer finally ran out, Emmett had gotten to his feet and announced that with no more social lubrication available he was going to head back to his cabin.

The four younger boys had looked at each other pointedly. Dave, the youngest of them all at just eighteen, had gotten to his feet and put a shaky arm around Emmett's shoulders. "We're out of grog but we've got something else to play with if you wanna stay," he'd slurred.

Matt, the oldest of the group at just twenty had lifted a small plastic bag from his hip pocket and swung it from his fingers. Emmett had never had much to do with drugs but in his already pliable state he'd shrugged and thought why the hell not.

He'd been asleep for just three hours when he heard Edward moving around in the cabin. If Edward's mouth felt like a bird had taken a dump in it then Emmett's felt like an elephant had.

His tongue felt swollen and his cheeks felt achy and raw from laughing and talking all night long. Even his teeth ached. He was used to waking up with the taste of stale beer on his lips but the musty tang of the weed residue made him want to gag.

His whole body ached, which was new too. An alcohol binge usually just made his head pound, but as he opened his eyes and stretched he felt the ache in every muscle and bone he possessed.

Weed really wasn't his thing he decided when he finally did manage to sit up. He raked a hand through his hair and closed his eyes to stave off the nausea as he stood and had to fling a hand out to steady himself as he did.

"Jesus," he muttered to himself when he was finally standing on his feet.

He shuffled out into the living room to find his 'living dead' roommate lying on the sofa clutching his own head.

"You alive?" he asked in a voice that sounded more like Darth Vader than his own.

"Just," was all Edward could manage.

"I don't know what your problem was last night," Emmett said through gritted teeth that barely held back the bile in his throat, "But you've got about twenty minutes to plan what to say before I get out of the shower. Use the time wisely," he suggested before he got his newborn giraffes legs under control and headed in to shower.

Edward waited until he heard the squeak of the shower door before making his move. As bad as he felt physically and mentally he couldn't hang around to be grilled by Emmett so he snatched up his cabin key, his wallet and his cell phone and hightailed it out into the bright midday sun.

When Bella answered the door he had to squint to make out her features. He'd rehearsed what he was going to say to her so many times that the words tumbled out of his mouth without him needing to think on them.

"I know who you are," he told her simply.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. **

**Please review. **


	10. Chapter 10

Bella could only gape at Edward. Of course he knew who she was! She'd been at camp with him for weeks!

His behaviour towards her the night before, and now his sudden weird statement, sat uneasily with her. It made no sense and she didn't like it.

"Go and sleep it off," she hissed at him as she closed the door on his wincing face.

Not to be deterred Edward knocked again and again. When she opened the door the next time he knew he was going to have to be ready to say more than he already had. He opened his phone and went back to the same page he'd opened on his browser the night before. He scrolled to the section with her profile picture on it and tried his best to keep his hand steady while he knocked with the other.

Bella pulled the door open violently and as she opened her mouth to shout at him to go away he held the phone up for her to see. Her own picture looked back at her. It still made no sense to her.

"So?" she asked indignantly. "I told you my name."

"Nooo," Edward said, elongating the o's to make his point. "You told me your name was Isabella. You never said you were Isabella Swan."

"I never hid who I was, if that's what you're implying. I never lied about my name and I have no idea what you're on about," she sighed. "Go and sober up and come back when you can make some sense."

She attempted to close the door again but this time Edward put his foot out. He winced when it got wedged between the door and its frame but was quite willing to take the pain onboard. "You don't understand," he began softly. "I _know_ who you are," he said firmly.

"And I know who you are, or at least I thought I did before last night," she replied. "I don't know who you think I am, but I'm exactly who and what I told you I was. A silly, mixed up little girl with no future and no interest in being treated like a leper by you."

With that she slammed the door in his face and went back to her bedroom. She whispered a quiet 'sorry' to Angela when it became obvious that the door slamming shut had woken her, but Bella didn't come out of her room again until mid afternoon when Edward's incessant hovering and her grumbling stomach drove her to it.

* * *

Jasper's fingers hovered over the buttons on his cell phone for five long minutes before he hit 'call'. He held his breath while it dialled and when it was eventually answered he cursed the monotone voicemail instructions.

After being told to leave a message after the tone he drew in a long breath and then tried to steady himself before doing just that.

"Mr Cullen this is Jasper Whitlock calling. I need to speak with you at your earliest convenience. Please return my call on this number or to my office as soon as you are able," he rattled off both numbers as evenly and as clearly as he could.

He dialled again, this number being more familiar, and waited while I endured the same monotone voicemail instructions. "Isa-Bee," he began, using the childhood nickname he'd adopted for his sister in law in an attempt to keep his voice light and jovial, "It's me, Jazz. Hope you're having a blast down there. Just wanted to touch base with you, hear all about your time so far. Give me a call back when you get a minute. Would love to hear your voice, baby girl."

He ended the call and put his phone back onto the blotter on his desk, staring at it, willing it to ring. After ten minutes of silence he shoved it aside and took up one of the five file folders beneath it.

Pressing the intercom button by his desk phone he asked for Mike, his colleague and friend, to join him in his office. Once they were both settled at the conference table at the far right of the office Jasper laid out four of the folders and told Mike to take a look at them. He kept the last one to himself for the minute. He gave him a few minutes to peruse the contents and then began to spill his churning guts.

"I need for this to stay confidential," he began. "Not just regular confidential between client and attorney, I mean personally confidential. Nobody can know that I have these five files. Well, obviously everyone knows I have this one," he said, tapping the thick manila envelope that bore the name Edward Cullen at its uppermost corner. He took that one back and put it in front of himself, leaving Mike the other four. "But the others... shit..." he huffed before scrubbing at his face with the palms of his clammy hands. "Mike this is some serious shit. At least I think it is. That's why I need you to take a look and tell me I'm not seeing things."

Mike, for his part, had no idea what he was looking at at first. He knew the names on the folders. Hell, everyone in the city knew the names, but why Jasper was so freaked he had no idea.

"Give me a minute to read, yeah?" Mike asked his friend and returned his eyes back to the page he'd been reading.

It didn't take him long to see what Jasper saw. A big assed conspiracy theory that looked much less like a theory and more like corruption with every new line he read.

It didn't take a legal genius – and Mike wasn't naive enough to think that anyone thought of him as one – to work out that there had been, or was going to be, some pretty heavy corporate, political and judicial 'shit' going down with four of the biggest hitters in town.

He skims each of the first few pages of each of the folders then closes them in turn before moving on to the next. As he read Jasper fidgeted.

Taking the folder marked 'Billy Black' from the top of the pile Mike held it open at a particular page and pointed to two of the highlighted lines. "Who drafted this?" he asked.

"Ken did. It was way before my time," Jasper told him, referring to their boss, and the founding partner of the law firm.

Opening the second folder, the one marked 'Carlisle Cullen' the process was repeated. "And this? This is the real deal? Is this the current Carlisle Cullen on this, or his father?" When Jasper confirmed it was the current Carlisle, Mike returned to the file. "These foreclosure statements are a matter of public record?" Mike asked an already nodding Jasper. Taking the third folder he opened it to the second page and pointed at yet another line. "And this here," he motioned, "This is Charlie Swan, your father in law Charlie Swan?"

"One and the same," Jasper muttered.

"Fuck me," Mike almost choked. He opened the fourth folder and eyed it carefully. The other folders on their own could have been passed off as career profiles. If they were looked at individually that is. But if you put the three folders and their contents together you could see the correlations and make the same leap no doubt Jasper had made. But the fourth folder stood out as odd. Tapping the name that was uppermost in the folder Mike turned back to his friend. "Jacob Black. Help me join the dots on this one," he implored Jasper. "I get that he's Billy's son, but where does he fit with either the deals or anything else? He wasn't even born when this deal went down, I mean. He can't be prenatally complicit."

"Of course he couldn't," Jasper agreed. "Let me walk you through what's in the bottom of those files and then you tell me if you see what I see?"

"Shoot," Mike said, reaching for his coffee and taking a big slug of it before leaning back over the paperwork that Jasper was spreading across the table.

"This here," Jasper said, tapping the first in the sequence of papers, "This was the first record of a deal involving these three men that I could find. Cullen Senior had already made his mark in the property market before Junior took over the reins. The business wasn't booming, but it did alright. Then, twenty nine years ago, it spiked so high because of this one deal and it's stayed spiked ever since."

"Okay, so this one deal made a fortune," Mike agreed. "Keep going."

"Right, it made a fortune, for all three of them," Jasper said as he pulled another two of the pages closer. "Cullen Junior, Swan and Black were all friends at high school then on through college. Junior took over from Senior, Swan went through law school and Black got heavily involved in local politics because of his work on the student government at college. That's the tie between those three," he said matter of factly even though Mike could make that leap for himself. "Scroll forward nine years and we see Black accepting the party nomination and getting himself elected to public office, Swan making a name for himself taking on and winning some pretty big criminal cases and Junior not quite able to live up to Seniors legacy because the ass has fallen out of the property market. Late 80's sees two of the three flying high, the other not exactly floundering but with the economic climate the way it was nobody was making money from property, not just Junior. He's already built two of those ginormous sinkhole estates out in the western district, and they do make him a pot of money, but not enough to weather the stock market issues."

"So his buddies decide to help him out, and make a little extra for themselves," Mike chimes in, getting it easily.

"Exactly," Jasper agrees. "But, the other two had stakes of the business right from the get go. As soon as Junior took over from Senior his friends got in on the action. Junior took their investment capital to get the first sink hole estate up and running and by the time he was ready to start the second he'd paid that back, plus a healthy dividend, and I guess they both thought he was good for the cash so they invested in the second. Then the ass fell out of the stock market." He takes another sheaf of papers and fans them out on the tabletop. He points at each one in turn as he speaks, "Saint Jude's Women's Shelter sat on this prime piece of land and it was struggling to keep up its financial commitments. You have to remember that at that time almost all businesses were struggling and more than half folded, even these qazi-charitible ones."

Mike took up one of the pages and whistled lowly, "Let me guess, the three joined forces – anonymously of course - and stepped in and generously paid out the outstanding loans, then sold off the pieces of the place, demolished what was left to build their estate. After a suitable amount of time of course?"

"Not quite," Jasper replied and put yet another page into his friends hands. "They aren't corporate raiders. In fact, none of them have ever dipped a toe in corporate buying or selling. It's much simpler than that. Black sat on the Public Works Committee at that time. That's his voting record for the period."

Mike read it and began to shake his head. "Ahh, I get it now. Black was the swing vote," he muttered, already despising Black even though he had never personally met the man. "Four for, four against, Black votes to foreclose, the loans are called in and then he goes in with the other two to make an offer for the land."

"Got it in one," Jasper nodded. "Much neater, and cheaper, than a corporate takeover wouldn't you agree? Swan, already moving up the ranks in the judiciary, calls in a few favours and before you know it zoning, planning and permits are available. Black smoothes over the public opposition to the project and Junior builds the monstrosity that sits there now."

"Anything criminal?" Mike asks idly.

"Nothing provable," Jasper concedes. "Could probably build a case for corruption or insider trading, but that's not the biggest problem here. Plus, it's not like it doesn't happen every day. Its how the system works. It's no different to lobbyists forging alliances to get the best deals."

"Alright, I can see that. So tell me where Jacob fits in all this. He isn't listed here for any of the transactions and unless you've got his name on deeds or titles it doesn't look like you can link him to any of this."

Jasper gathered up that stack of papers and shoved them back into their respective files before taking Jake's out and spreading out its contents. "You're right. I can't link him to any of it. And that's what makes me think he's right in the thick of it."

"You think he's involved in corruption because you can't find any evidence of him being involved in corruption?" Mike laughed. "Jeez Whitlock, you need a hobby."

"Hear me out," Jasper chuckled, realising how ridiculous his statement sounded out loud. "Black Senior is about to retire. He's got nine more months before he'll finish up. There is another deal being brokered between the three parties. Similar to the others. A big sinkhole estate that'll turn into a slum in a decade. Nice parcel of land owned by a respectable but floundering private business. There isn't time for Billy to vote on the foreclosure in front of the committee before he retires. He can't personally guarantee the vote at committee this time so they get the land free and clear from a decision to foreclose on loans. That means the trio need another body on the committee. Billy's not contesting the next election in his district, but Jacob is," he told Mike as he lifted one of the pages to show his friend the official document that clearly stated Jacob's name and intent to run for office.

"Fuck," Mike muttered darkly.

"Yeah," Jasper chuckled, now more relaxed knowing his friend could see what he'd seen too. "So, Jacob will slip into his father's shoes as far as the land deals are concerned. The other two will still need permits and zoning and for someone to smooth over public concern as these estates go through due process. That'll be up to Jake just like it was Billy's job in the past. At first I just thought that it would be a smooth transition. Billy steps down and Jacob steps up and fills the void his old man leaves."

"You don't think so now?" Mike asked as yet another page was put in his hands. "What the fuck?" he scowled as he read over the page. "You sure about this?"

"I am," Jasper replied sadly.

"Who drafted this?" Mike asked, disgusted.

"Swan did," Jasper informed his now obviously appalled colleague. "Seems Jacob was shopping for a wife and my sister in law fit the bill. Compliant, elegant, good breeding yada yada yada. He's running for public office and needs a wife at his side. He knows, as well as his campaign team does, that without the respectability of a wife he hasn't got a hope. Not with his womanising reputation. Carlisle needs the permits pushed through, Charlie is a major investor himself so it's in his best interests that someone sympathetic to the cause gets elected, Billy's retiring and Jacob's counting on Isabella to redeem his reputation and get him elected so the whole project gets off the ground. That contract underwrites Charlie's investment as long as the marriage occurs."

"But this is tantamount to slavery," Mike spat.

"I agree," Jasper sighed.

"It's not even written like a pre-nup," Mike hissed as he turned the paper over and over in his hand. "It's a fucking business contract. That's fucked up."

"It is," Jasper agreed. "At its simplest Jacob marries Isabella, Charlie's investment is assured of a return, Carlisle has the capital on hand to build and Billy retires with a nice pot of money to sit on."

"Fucking hell," Mike mutters as he gets to his feet and goes to the windows. Looking down at the scurrying people in the street below he starts shaking his head. "Okay. I can see the picture you're painting here. What I want to know is what's your angle? You fishing for something criminal to prosecute? You want to distance yourself from Swan? You want in on the deal? What?"

"This guy," Jasper said quietly, pushing Edward's file folder into the centre of the table. "This guy is the key to what I want."

* * *

Bella opened the door with an exasperated sigh. He'd been sitting under her awning all afternoon. His cell phone chimed on an off over the hours he'd been there, but she'd never heard him have a conversation with whoever was calling him. He'd worked his way through an entire pack of cigarettes and looked and smelled like utter hell when she opened the door.

She wanted to go to the dining hall to get something to eat but she knew that getting past as very intent Edward was unlikely. Manning up she took the chair opposite him and took a cigarette from his pack.

After lighting it she leaned back in her seat, eyeing him carefully. He really did look awful. "I don't understand what went on here last night," she began softly. "Something has obviously upset you but if you don't share it with me I can't help."

Edward stubbed out his own cigarette and dragged his hand through his greasy, dishevelled hair. He too sat back in his chair. "Say my name," he insisted, pointing at the nametag he still had stuck to his shirt form the night before.

"What?" she asked, getting more confused and more angry by the second at him for ignoring her attempt to play nice and help him.

"Say it. Out loud."

"Edward Cullen," she said firmly.

"Again," he insisted.

"Edward Cullen. What the fuck is going on?" she seethed, the expletive dripping from her lips quite easily in her frustrated state.

Pulling his cell out of his pocket he held it up for her again. "You are Isabella Swan and I am Edward Cullen," he announced formally. "I _know_ you."

Shaking her head Bella couldn't quite grasp what he was trying to tell her. "Okay. Good. You're Edward Cullen and I'm Isabella Swan. Nice to meet you, again. Now go back to bed and sleep the alcohol off," she huffed and stood, ready to go back inside.

"I'm not drunk!" Edward hissed. "Can I come in?" he asked, nodding towards the cabin door, tired of squinting past the sun to see her face.

"No," she said firmly. "Angela's still asleep."

"I need to talk to you," he sighed. "You said that if something had upset me I should talk to you about it. That's what I want to do. In private. It can't wait."

Totally confused but needing to know what the hell he was talking about Bella agreed. But the dining hall was out; there were always people in there. His cabin was out if Emmett was in it. Tyler was always in the reception centre and there would be corporates crawling all over their half of the camp. "I know a place," she sighed. "Give me five minutes to throw some things in a bag and I'll show you."

Edward agreed and tried to wait patiently for her under the awning. True to her word she was beside him in five minutes with a bag over her shoulder. Nodding towards the playing field they set off. He reached for her hand but wasn't surprised when she denied him by pulling away fiercely. He deserved that.

Not a word was said between them as they walked over the field and beyond it. The path was overgrown but still visible. At its end it opened up to expose row after row of what used to be grape tethers. The empty trellis' still held their stock but vines no longer wound their way to the top of the forms. They picked their way through the rows and picked up another path that led them right to the door of the dilapidated building Rose had told Bella about. As she knew they would be the front doors were stuck shut, the hinges long since rusted over. When Edward pointed it out Bella threw him a glare and barked at him to follow her around to the side of the building. Right where she knew it would be was the side door and it was unlocked just like Rose said. Shoving it inwards Bella made her way inside with Edward right behind her. Streams of sunlight crisscrossed the interior where cracks and gaps in the walls had slowly opened to the relentlessness of Mother Nature.

Setting her bag on the floor at her feet Bella told Edward to stay where he was while she made her way to the back of the main room to look for the storeroom. There was only one door behind what had probably been the main counter of the pressing shed so Bella took a chance on it. The storeroom smelled like musty old wine and dust but she found what Rose had told her was there.

Setting the candles in their holders onto the counter she lit them with the matches that were still there from the previous users and once they were all glowing brightly she went back into the storeroom for the blankets.

She threw two of them onto the dusty floor at Edward's feet and then sank down onto them.

"Now, what the hell is going on?" she asked as he slid to the ground to join her.

"What is this place?" he asked as he looked around.

"Winery," she hissed. "Do you want my critique of the scenery or are you going to tell me what the problem is?"

Sweeping a hand through already disastrous hair Edward sighed long and deep. "You're Isabella Swan," he mumbled.

Crunching up her eyebrows Bella nodded. "Not this again," she muttered. "Yes. And you're Edward Cullen," she said softly. "So?"

"Say it to yourself a few times," he encouraged as he folded his legs beneath himself. "I'm Edward Anthony Cullen."

"You're Edward Anthony Cullen," Bella whispered to herself as he'd suggested. It was obvious by the way he kept saying it, and now that he'd asked her to say it too, that the name should mean something to her. She said it twice more before the realisation hit her. She _had_ heard that name before! She slapped her hand over her mouth to hold in her squeal of shock. "Oh my god. You're Edward Cullen," she said, pointing right at him. "Are you _that_ Edward Cullen?"

"Yeah, I am," he sighed. "And I know you too," he mumbled. "I know your family. I know your sister and your mother and I definitely know your father."

"And I know you," Bella whispered. "At least, I used to." It was such a shock. The connection was vague to her, but there was a connection. She couldn't deny that. She knew the name. She knew the family too.

"Your sister is Mary Alice," Edward said to prove that he knew about the connection too. "She married Jasper Whitlock, right?"

"Yes."

"Jasper Whitlock, the lawyer, right?"

"Yeah."

"Your father is Charlie, Judge Charlie Swan."

"Yes," Bella whispered. She felt as though she should apologise, though what for she couldn't fathom.

"Fuck," Edward grumbled so darkly it startled Bella. Shrugging by way of apology Edward reached over and took her hand into his. The immediate relief and comfort he felt was not echoed in Bella. She sat stiffly even though she graciously allowed the contact. "Do you remember me yet?" he asked carefully.

"I don't know," Bella admitted freely. "I think I remember your parents a little bit. But I was heaps younger when I met them. Is your mother Edna?" she asked and when he corrected her and said his mother was Esme she nodded, thinking that sounded about right. "And your dad is Carlisle, the property developer, right?"

"Right," Edward sighed. "That's us. It wasn't until last night that I placed who you are," he said so sadly Bella's resolve to be angry with him almost flew right out the very dusty remains of the nearest window.

Almost.

"Alright, we know each other. At least our families do. And I'm guessing that your attitude towards me last night was because you worked that out. What I want to know is why is this news bad?" she asked. "Is there something about me that you don't like now that you know my family name? Is there some problem between your family and mine?"

"Those are reasonable questions," Edward began. "I remember you in my house," he sighed, ignoring her questions for the time being. Hoping to steer her away from that for just a little longer he tried to jog her memory back to something if not pleasant, then at least more palatable. "You were only little, maybe ten, twelve or something. You hid under the buffet table at a party, you were reading."

"I remember that," Bella giggled softly. "You brought me a salmon puff and told me you'd keep my secret."

"I did. You liked them and you offered me a place beside you, under the tablecloth, in payment for the food and if I wanted to escape the party," he chuckled.

"But you said you couldn't," she sighed. "You said your dad needed you to be a grown up and that you would be in trouble if he couldn't find you when business needed to be discussed. I remember that now."

"Yeah," Edward replied with a heavy heart. He could picture her there so clearly. She had been a lovely little girl. Charming and kind even then. "I got into trouble that night anyway for talking to you. How much trouble were you in when your mother found you?"

"A heap," Bella cringed. "I got yanked out of school and had to come home to regular school after that. It didn't last though. They shipped me off to boarding school again before the next semester was done."

"God, I wish I'd been sent to boarding school," Edward said idly.

The sadness on his face was tugging at her heart but nothing he said, no memory he jogged for her could stop her from wondering why it was so bad that they knew each other, however tentative the link was. "Okay, so we remember each other. Why did you treat me like that last night?" she asked eventually.

"I panicked," he admitted easily.

"About what? So what if we know each other? So what if I know of your family and you know of mine? You were so mean to me last night. I asked you what was wrong over and over and you ignored me."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he began to chant. "I can't do this, I can't do this."

"What, what is it?" Bella begged, clutching at his arm, all thoughts of being angry leaving her as she took in his obvious anguish.

"You're engaged to Jacob _Black_," he said. It wasn't a question.

"I told you I was," Bella insisted, calming slightly.

"No, you didn't," he all but yelled, taking his arm out of the grip of her tiny fingers and sitting up straighter. "You called him Jake, but you never told me his surname. Oh fuck Bella, this is bad. This is really, really bad."

"It's true I don't know much about him but he's not bad, my parents think he's great," she all but laughed, but Edward was already shaking his head violently. She had no idea why and asked.

"He might not be bad, Bella, I grant you that. But his reputation is bad. Very bad. Could be just rumour or even lies, but it's bad, Bella. So he might not be bad himself, but his father is. Definitely."

"You know his father too?"

"I do," he admitted.

"How?" she asked, a frown of worry beginning to take its place on her normally serene features. It was obvious to her that Edward was distressed but she still couldn't join the dots to form the picture he wanted her to see.

"Because, I helped set up the deal between our parents for the development in the west canyon," he told her, though it meant nothing to her. Seeing the confusion on her face he pulled her hand back into his lap and caressed it carefully. "Our parents are connected through this property deal, Bella," he told her pointedly. "But Senator Black is a stakeholder too."

It still meant nothing to Bella. She'd never been privy to anything to do with her father's work, or any investments he'd made. She couldn't see what Edward was getting at and said so.

Hating having to spell it out for her Edward sighed before he began, "My father, your father and Billy Black went in together on this land deal. I was forced to sit in on the negotiating. Bella, Senator Black agreed to sign off on this deal in his district _only_ if you agreed to marry his son. He needed some insurance. He's not planning to run for another term in office, so he can't guarantee the permits and things would go through committee. But, Jacob is running and that will guarantee it, if he wins. Pledging you to Jacob meant that your father would have to guarantee the permits went through unhindered, his words not mine."

"I don't understand," Bella whispered, her eyebrows scrunching up in confusion. "If Jake runs and wins then he _can_ guarantee the permits. Why marry me? I have no influence, no pull with any of that. That makes no sense at all, Edward."

Sighing heavily Edward clutched at her hand more firmly. "Jake has somewhat of a reputation, Bella. He's been linked to several scandals, of the personal kind, over the years. He needs to marry someone legitimately suitable if he's got a hope of winning the election."

Bella thought on it for a moment and then began to shake her head. "No, you've got it wrong," she told him firmly. "Jake decided to ask for my hand. My father told me that himself. Jake came to our house and asked. And he's got nothing to do with any property deal," she said confidently. "He's a politician; he's nothing to do with any land deal. My father wouldn't do business that way, he's a judge. He wouldn't _sell_ me that way," she hissed.

But Edward knew better. "I'm sorry Bella, but you're wrong. I was there. I was in the room when it went down. My father insisted I was there even though I hadn't graduated yet because he expects me to be on the team heading the whole thing up."

"Was Jake there? When this was planned?" she asked and when Edward shook his head she relaxed just a little. "See? He's not involved. He met me at a party and asked to talk to me. He sat with me for ages, just talking. If his proposal was a business deal why bother speaking to me at all?"

Edward wanted to say that Jake was probably making sure that she was suitable. Attractive enough. Demure enough. Poised enough. But he didn't. He couldn't bring himself to hurt her that way and there was no way he wanted her to start second guessing herself and her worth as a person, and as a woman.

He felt so bad having to explain this to her. His stomach was in knots. Not because he knew her and her family but because he knew what a shit her father was. He also knew what a bastard Jacob Black was. He hadn't been in the room when Billy negotiated the terms with Bella's father but any man who agreed to marry a woman because of a business deal his father was a part of was not going to be a knight in shining armour.

"When was that party?" he asked and when she replied, after a moment's thought, his stomach plummeted. She'd proved his point but he couldn't say that either. "And how long after that first meeting did he ask for your hand?" when she told him it was only a little while he sighed. "Bella, sweetheart, he made no effort to get to know you at all before proposing. It's an arrangement. I know that hurts you to think about, but you _must_ think about it."

But Bella didn't want to, or need to think about it. "No, I don't believe you," Bella said firmly as she got to her feet. Looking down at him she could see the hurt in his eyes and for a split second she toyed with the idea that he could be right. Logic and reason told her otherwise. "No," she said again as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "You're wrong. My mother might be controlling but she'd never condone something like this even if my dad did. No. Just no."

"Is your mother involved with your father's business dealings?" he asked, hoping to come at the issue from another angle to make her see.

"No," Bella conceded as she looked at the floor. "But I refuse to believe that either of them, no matter how cold they can be towards me, could do this for the sake of a business deal."

She made for the door but Edward called her back. She didn't turn to face him as he spoke. "Why did they send you here?" he asked.

The question seemed unrelated to the discussion they'd had but Bella answered him anyway. "Because I needed a rest before getting married."

"That's bullshit," Edward barked. "That was your answer a month ago when you first got here and even then you told me you weren't tired. You know this marriage isn't right. You know he's not a good guy. Not if he's gone along with this deal with our parents. You can't go into this so blindly. You have the right to know who you're marrying, Bella. You have a right to know what sort of man he really is. So tell me, why did they send you here, truthfully?"

Shocked at his words Bella's shoulders slumped. He was right. She did have a right to know what she was headed for. She didn't have any idea how to find that out, and sitting here in an abandoned winery arguing about it wasn't going to help any. She knew there could be some truth to what he was telling her but she also hoped that her parents wouldn't do that to her. Whatever they may be, good or bad, they loved her.

"Come on Bella; lay your cards on the table for me. Why did they send you here?" Edward asked again.

It was the first time she felt she might be better off to be truly honest about her situation because if he was telling the truth there was no point lying about it anymore. And it felt like a great relief to tell him the truth. "Because I got depressed and sick thinking about having to marry Jake," she whispered just loud enough for him to catch.

"Did you ask any questions about him, about who he was and what he did? Did you try to find out anything about him yourself? Did you tell anyone you didn't want to marry him?"

"No. There was no point. They wouldn't have listened anyway."

"_I'm_ listening," he said softly.

"Alright," she sighed. "You're listening but it's already too late. I'll be going home in eight weeks time and I'll be marrying him. The invitations have gone out and it's all planned. I gave him my answer when he asked and..." she trailed off, not willing to get into the whys and wheres about her impending marriage until she had a chance to find out for herself if any of what he'd said was true. "Why did they send you here?" Bella countered, steering the subject away from her.

"Because I didn't want to be in on the deal our parents are setting up and it made me sick," he said, feeling freer than he had ever felt for finally being able to tell the truth to someone. "It's not just this deal that I don't like, though. I don't want to be a businessman at all. I never did, this deal just cemented that for me. I don't belong in the business world. I don't have the balls for all the backhanded deals and the secrecy that goes into property developing."

"Did you tell anyone you didn't want to be a businessman?" she asked, echoing his question of her.

"No," he said solemnly. "There was no point. They wouldn't have listened to me either."

Considering her answer Bella reached for the door and opened it before she spoke. She still didn't look him in the eye as she said her peace. "Until you're ready to defy your parents you don't get to judge me for not defying mine."

Bella returned to her cabin after her talk with Edward and sat staring at her cell phone for hours and hours. There was nobody she could think of to call to verify what Edward had told her and nobody who she thought would listen if she wanted to admit that she didn't want to get married.

She had several voicemail deposits – that she would normally delete without listening – but one message caught her eye. It was from Jasper's personal cell phone and it piqued her interest.

She listened to the message twice then deleted it.

She liked Jasper and she trusted him. He'd always been good to Alice and he'd never given Bella any reason not to think he wouldn't listen, but was he the right person to go to with this?

She thought not. If what Edward said was true she didn't want her sister and her husband involved. No, that wasn't true either. What Bella didn't want was to find out that her sister and her husband already knew that what Edward had tried to tell her was the truth.

Surrounded by hundreds of people at camp Bella felt more alone than she ever had at home, or at boarding school.

Edward stayed in the pressing shed for many hours. He too stared at his cell phone and wondered who he could call to help him through what he considered one of his darkest hours.

Would anyone believe him? Could he prove any of what he knew to be true? Would anybody want to know? Did anyone at home care that Bella was being used? Did anyone at home care that it hurt him to think of it? Did anybody care that he was having a personal crisis? And if anyone did what exactly could they do about it?

He considered Emmett for half a second before dismissing the idea as foolish. Emmett wasn't the sort of person who was going to be able to help even if he did listen and sympathise. So instead he sat there, on the dusty floor in the candlelight and stared at his cell phone.

He deleted all the messages from his mother and father and sat staring at the one number that he didn't recognise. It was a cell phone number but not a number used by any of the stored contacts in his phone.

He listened to the message, his heart nearly missing a beat when he heard the name of the caller. He knew who Jasper was and he knew what he did. He was a hot shot lawyer who specialised in wills and legacies. What he wanted with Edward was anyone's guess.

That in itself was reason enough to return the call, but the coincidence that nailed the decision for Edward was his talk with Bella. The law firm used to set up the deal between Cullen, Swan and Black was the one Jasper worked for.

Edward listened again to the return call number and hit dial, his heart in his throat as he waited for it to answer.

* * *

Emmett wasn't too surprised to find his roommate missing when he emerged from his shower cleaner but not exactly feeling tip top. He looked all over the camp for Edward but came up empty at each stop. By sundown he had no choice but to go and eat alone in the dining hall.

When the fourth Monday of the private guests stay came, and busloads of new corporate types arrived, a now sober and not quite so achy Em went in search of some new suckers to fleece.

He did his best to locate his errant roommate but came up empty on all fronts. He had no way to know if Edward had come back to the cabin during the night and had left early that morning because the guy was a neat freak. His bed was always perfectly made if he wasn't actually in it, so there was no way to tell if it had been used the night before. He lodged an enquiry at the reception desk and asked that if Edward showed up could someone come find him right away.

Nobody in the office seemed too concerned and one of the girls actually suggested going door knocking on the other private cabin doors to find his friend. Seems that cabin or bed hopping during their stay was quite normal for the private guests.

But Emmett had already asked the others in their group and each of them had told him that Edward hadn't shown his face all night, or at breakfast. Bella said she'd seen him in the afternoon the day before and that if she saw him herself she'd come find Emmett right away.

Bella was worried, but not enough to go searching. Edward had as much on his mind as she did and she had no clue how to help him with his issues when she couldn't sort out her own.

Emmett had to let it go and instead he turned his attention to the sorry state of his finances. He had just eighty dollars left to his name and was determined not to call home and beg for money.

He hadn't had a drink since the Saturday night and was feeling pretty good even if the bruise under his left eye was still slightly green and his lip still had a scab on it. If he was honest his gut didn't feel all too good from all the drink, and the weed had given him a hangover the likes of which he never wanted to relive ever again. He'd avoided any further contact with Rose. She wasn't exactly searching him out anyway.

So that left Emmett to his own devices. Everyone he knew at camp was tied up within their own little personal dramas and lives.

His roommate was quite obviously smitten with the engaged Bella and Emmett didn't want any part of the catastrophe that was looming for his friends. They'd obviously had a tiff, if Saturday night's behaviour was anything to go by, and figured that if either of them wanted his help with anything they'd ask for it. Seeing as neither of them had he assumed that the little affair was over or they'd sorted it out for themselves.

Ben and Angela were still joined at the hip. Tyler was like his usual ninja self and hiding out in the conference centre doing whatever Tyler did all day. The two girls in the other cabin were like wraiths. They never joined in anything and they didn't socialise with anyone. Rose was not an option. She freaked him out. He had no idea how to make her smile. He had no clue how he could get her to notice him and he wasn't sure he was the sort of person she should be noticing. He'd leave that alone, it was better for them both that way.

Thinking that Ed didn't seem happy, from the glimpses of his roommate he had seen over the course of the day prior he decided that the guy needed a little distraction. And what better motivator than cash he thought.

Emmett also needed to get a move on with his latest money making scheme because the repairs on the storeroom and toilets were coming to an end. That meant that a truck would soon be arriving to take back the portable toilets, one of which Emmett still had standing behind his cabin.

He hung back in the dining hall after lunch on that Monday and introduced himself around to the new stuffed shirts as he liked to call anyone with a nine to five job.

He made sure to target the nervous looking guys and steered clear of the ones who looked obviously conscientious. A certain amount of moral flexibility was required for his latest money making scheme so he sat down with a group of likely looking lads who seemed as though they weren't altogether keen to be involved in the team building exercises and bonding sessions scheduled for their groups.

Always quick to find a mark Emmett soon had a healthy book with bets placed and distances guessed at from a dozen of the more fun loving corporate pirates in situ.

Setting the time and place for his scheme he wished them all a good time at their first group sessions and went in search of his friends. He found Ben, Tyler and Angela in the gym and soon had another hundred dollar bet set down.

Checking his watch and seeing it was just before dinner he figured that if Edward was on the grounds he'd find him in the conference centre at the piano so he went there first. Sure enough he was. He didn't look all that good. In fact he looked wrecked, but he was there, thankfully.

"Dude, where the fuck you been at?" Emmett asked as he approached.

"Had some shit to do in town," Edward shrugged; ending the piece he'd been playing and turning on the bench to face Emmett who had thrown himself down into a chair nearby. "What's up?" he asked.

"I need a hand with something," Em grinned. "I'll understand if you don't want any part of it," he told Ed rather pointedly, "so if you want to be able to deny any knowledge of this now might be a good time to say so," he laughed.

"What have you got planned this time?" Edward asked cautiously as he shut the lid of the piano.

Nodding his head in the direction of the exit he asked Edward to accompany him on a little walk. When they rounded the corner of the dining hall, and had come to a stop outside the storeroom where the still had once lived Emmett began to grin and Edward got a little nervous. He knew that grin. Nothing good could come of Emmett grinning that way. "Twelve potties were delivered," Emmett began, pointing to the row of toilets in front of them. He left Edward to make a quick count of those he could see for himself.

"Where did you stash the twelfth?" Edward asked after making a count. If there was one missing and Emmett had told him there used to be twelve that could only mean his roommate had plans for the other one.

"Behind our cabin for now," Emmett laughed, pleased that his friend had picked up the clues he'd laid out for him. "I've got five hundred dollars worth of bets on how far off the ground I can get one of those things," he told Edward proudly. Cringing at the thought Edward could only ask the obvious question of how he was going to get one off the ground at all. "I know a guy," Emmett began as he began to stroll away from the storeroom and back towards the cabins, "he's very kindly supplied me with some rockets. I'm betting I can get it about five metres in the air but I've got bets ranging from nothing right up to twenty and even one for thirty."

"Rockets?" Edward asked gingerly. The idea of Emmett having explosives stashed somewhere made him uneasy.

"Yeah," Emmett admitted as the two began to walk to where Emmett had the toilet behind their cabin. "I bought six all up and I reckon that should be enough to get it off the ground about five metres."

"If you've got bets from nothing to thirty how will you make a profit?" Edward asked as they rounded the corner and he got his first look at the toilet.

"We," Emmett corrected. "We've given two to one odds for every bet," Emmett told him. "If it doesn't get off the ground we only owe that one guy double his bet. If it goes ten metres we owe that guy double his bet back. The rest we keep as profit."

"Fair enough," Edward agreed about the betting, grateful that his roommate was willing to share the booty. Looking at the portable toilet he had to wonder if six rockets were going to launch the thing into space or just create a crater underneath it. He'd learned his lesson thinking Emmett knew what he was doing so this time he asked pointed questions.

For each one Emmett had what sounded like a well thought out and logical answer. Yes the rockets were good quality. Yes they were in date and not world war two relics. No they wouldn't throw out any shrapnel. Yes they'd do it far away from any buildings. Yes they'd use more than just glasses and gloves for protection this time. Yes they'd do it at night and no Bella wouldn't be involved.

Smirking at Edward's protectiveness of the girl Emmett assured his roommate that nothing could go wrong this time and Edward believed him. It was a simple plan with a good chance of working. Edward wanted more cash so he could take Bella out to dinner in town so they could really talk, and he'd get a chance to apologise for upsetting her. Emmett wanted to be able to fund his drinking without having to ask his parents for more money. Everyone would win.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading.**

**Just so you know, all this legal/business stuff looks and sounds pretty complicated. I wrote all this and read and reread it over and over and in the end I decided that because Jasper and Mike are both lawyers themselves they needed to speak to each other in a professional manner. **

**Edward, on the other hand, isn't a lawyer as you know. And Bella is even less able to understand the legal ramifications of what the parents are tied up in. So, when it comes time for the pair of them to be 'told' exactly what's going on it will be dumbed down considerably. :)**

**Please review. **


	11. Chapter 11

Bella hid in her cabin for as many hours as she could Sunday night and Monday during the daylight hours. She neither responded to, nor initiated any contact, with anyone. That included Angela who did her best to draw her friend out with offers to talk and to eat.

All offers were politely refused.

But Bella didn't mope.

She'd never pined or brooded over anyone or anything before so it didn't cross her mind to begin now.

No. Isabella Swan was made of sterner stuff than that.

Yes it was true that she was angry at Edward. It was also true that she'd been hurt by first his abrupt change in mood, then his public disinterest in her and then again by his hypocrisy, but the thought of curling up and giving in to her inner demons was not a serving suggestion that was considered by Bella.

She'd been presented with a problem and like the true math nerd she was she knew that if she worked hard enough on it she'd find either an answer to it or she'd work out who to ask for help from.

If she looked at the problem as an equation she knew she could work it out. The issue was assigning algebraic letters to each tendril of the problem. She labelled Edward as 'e' for obvious reasons. She gave Jake the letter 'a' not because he was by far the biggest problem she had, but because he was a big asshole.

She gave the idea of college and a shot at a normal life the letter 'L' and the idea of a deal between her parents and Jake the letter 'c' for corrupt.

Making a math problem out of the letters was easy for Bella.

She placed 'c' at the beginning of the problem. 'e' needed to be divided from 'c' so that their fledgling relationship had a chance. To keep the two issues separate for both of their sakes. Then 'a' needed to be subtracted from that value, which had the most obviously simple fix, which left her without a value for 'L'.

So, Bella took the first step towards removing 'a' from her list of problems. The ring had been on her finger for such a short time but already it had become a symbol of a hemmed in, mapped out future she didn't want. It slipped off her hand so easily it startled her. It left her wondering why she hadn't done it the instant she set foot at camp. 'A' had been subtracted from 'L' successfully. Now all she had to do was deal with 'c' in order to gain the 'L' that she really wanted.

'E' was a given. She wanted 'e' without reservation and with 'a' removed from the problem 'e' was free and clear to be pursued.

So 'c' became her main focus.

Her cell phone seemed to be her one obvious ally. With it she had access to people and information. If she could gain enough clarity over the value and intricacies of 'c' she might be able to make 'L' a reality. So she used her cell phone rapaciously over the hours between her discussion with Edward and the time that her hunger could no longer be ignored.

* * *

Edward slept fitfully on the dusty floor of the pressing shed that Sunday evening. Wrapped in the blankets Bella had brought from the storeroom and beneath the flickering light of the candles he lay on the uneven ground and stared into space. His contemplations took him the full gamut from fear and anxiety to elation and hope.

He woke with his thoughts somewhere in between.

He made his way back to camp slowly and bypassed the dining hall and the row of private cabins. He called a taxi and waited out on the road for it to arrive.

It was still too early for most of the businesses in town to be open so he ate up some time looking in windows and chatting to the older folk who shuffled along the footpaths along the main street. He helped the guys at the pub bring in the heavy crates of bottled wines and then moved on to the supermarket as soon as its doors opened for business.

He purchased a soda, a newspaper and a packet of jubes and spent another lazy hour sitting on a wooden park bench at the top end of town watching the world go on around himself.

When Pete opened the bookstore Edward was there, waiting. He begged to be allowed into the music store despite the fact that it wasn't normally open until lunch on Mondays and was granted special access only because Pete could see the anguish in his eyes and on his face.

Edward played steadily for four hours. He played whatever sheet music he could lay his hands on without going back into the store itself for more and then he played whatever came to mind when he'd exhausted all the available materials.

By early afternoon his shoulders ached and his fingers were cramping badly. His stomach was clenching with both hunger and with his anxiety and as his impromptu session came to an end he'd amassed quite an audience.

With the schools front doors shut only a muted sound could be heard on the street but it was enough to make passersby stop and listen and so when Edward finally closed the lid of the instrument and stood he was treated to an ovation from outside.

He bowed just once, bending deep at the waist in appreciation, before going next door to thank Pete for the opportunity.

Pete himself was quite concerned for the younger man. The deep purple smudges under his eyes hinted at little to no restful sleep and the grim set to his lips told of a worry that was quite great in its nature. Gentle prodding gained him no insight into the problem however, so he had to be content with the assurance that Edward would return to the school at three that afternoon to fulfil his obligation to play alongside the girl Pete had arranged the week before.

Edward ate at the bar of the pub in silence, his cell phone on the surface of the bar seemed to mock him at each glance.

The voice message from Jasper was the main source of his anxiety, but not the only one. His discussion with Bella weighed heavily on his mind but it was her parting words that made his gut clench the worst. She was right of course. If he wasn't willing to stand up to his own parents why should she?

Having ones hypocrisy pointed out hurt but realising that the accusation is correct hurt more. He was a hypocrite. He'd hurt Bella by not addressing his concerns immediately and he'd behaved appallingly during the trivia night. He'd played a part in hurting her long before he even knew her, of course, and that hurt too. Then he'd compounded the problem by admitting his complicity in the deal between their parents and instead of trying to help her see what was being played out behind her back he'd gone off on a personal tangent and had alienated her further.

He sat at the bar and tried to find a way to help the situation but inspiration didn't present itself in any helpful way. He had no ally. There was nobody to turn to who was in any position to help him, or Bella, and so he stared at his cell phone for a good hour over his meal.

Instinct told him not to contact his father. His mother would know nothing of the deal and contact with her would only interfere with his freedom at camp, so that was out of the question too.

There was no point contacting any of the other players in on the deal either. Edward had no friends other than those he'd made at camp so unloading his heavy heart and mind to any of them was futile.

And then there was the call from Whitlock.

He ordered himself another beer and took it out into the beer garden. It was empty as the weather had turned so cool so he was able to make the call in relative privacy.

His hand shook as he dialled the return number. His lunch churned unhappily in his belly and his heart clenched with the knowledge that his time with Isabella was very likely to be drawing to an abrupt close.

It was that he'd mourn most.

The job with his father was neither here nor there. He didn't want it anyway so losing it was not actually a loss. Same too his relationship with his parents. They'd never shown any interest in his well being and he doubted they would now if he contacted them and explained his unhappiness. If Whitlock was about to warn him off Bella he was bound to have either already discussed it with his parents and if he hadn't he would once the call was concluded.

No, there was nothing of any value to be lost other than Bella.

* * *

The main object of Edward's pain was herself in some pain. Mental pain.

By the time Edward was making his call to the states she had a thick pad of notes at her elbow and had used a significant portion of her data allowance trying to either confirm or put to rest Edward's accusations from the night before.

The connection between the three families was easy enough to verify on the internet. It was no secret that the three friends had been in business together since college. What information she could find only told her that the building estates were built by Cullen Property Development and that both Senator Billy Black and her own father had invested in the initial development. That was all on public record. There was no mention of any impropriety on any one of their behalves that she could find.

There weren't even any vague references to any of them using backdoors or underhanded methods to make the developments realised.

The only slightly sinister information she'd found on any of the parties was about Jake even though he had no public link to the developments, just like Edward had said he wouldn't. Jake been questioned three times about inter-office acts that had been deemed inappropriate by women on his staff, but three times the investigations had stopped with the women withdrawing their complaints.

He'd been linked with quite a few women over the years and had been seen publicly with a myriad of socialites and B list celebrities. He'd never been mentioned as having been in a relationship with any of them, just seen at various political and philanthropic events with them.

He wasn't spoken off fondly in any of the articles Bella could find online. In fact, the only mentions of him with regard to his character were pieces that painted him as a ladies' man with no obvious intention of settling down. That sat heavily in Bella's gut as she read them. His decision to propose to her seemed as though it came out of the blue.

The only article Bella found that gave some credence to anything Edward had said in the pressing shed was a political opinion piece that said that if Jake was to have any chance of winning the election he was going to need an appropriate woman at his side.

_That_ made Bella uneasy. She'd never understood why Jake had wanted to marry her and if it did come down to him needing a suitable wife she could think of a hundred other of her peers that would do the job far better than she ever could.

And it was starting to look and feel more like a job than ever to Bella. Jobs didn't come with a jewellery component and as she stared at the engagement ring that sat on the coffee table in front of her she wondered why Jake had bothered with it.

Like Edward she wondered who to confide in and who to contact that could help her quantify just how much of what he'd had said that was true. Her mother wouldn't know and her father was likely to lie if it was true. She had no friends other than those she'd made at camp and none of them would have any idea about any of the business dealings going on at home.

As for her personal problem she wondered if Alice would be willing to at least listen to her reservations about the wedding.

If nothing else talking about Jake and how she felt about that situation would remove at least a little of the anxiety she was feeling.

Checking the time difference she winced and dialled anyway.

Alice had said she could call anytime.

* * *

Edward held his breath while he waited for his call to connect. He hadn't bothered to check the world clock on his cell phone to see what the time was in the states and by the time a very sleepy voice answered he'd almost completely backed out of the whole idea.

"Christ," Jasper grumbled as he struggled to answer his private cell phone. It took him three goes to get it the right way up and two goes to make his voice understandable. "Who's calling?" he asked once he had the ear piece to his ear and the microphone at his chin.

"Um, yeah..." Edward stammered, "Its Edward Cullen calling for Jasper Whitlock."

"Jesus Christ," Jasper all but shouted this time as he leapt from his bed and stubbed his big toe on the nightstand. "Hold on a minute," he implored down the phone while he reassured his wife that everything was fine, that his call was business related and that she should go back to sleep. He slipped on his robe and bolted down the stairs to his study before speaking into his phone again. "Thank you for returning my call," he told a nervous Edward.

"That's okay, sorry for getting you up. Time zones aren't my forte."

"Don't worry about it," Jasper assured him. "Look I realise you have no idea who I am but if you have the time I need to speak with you about a very important matter."

"I know who you are," Edward whispered down the line.

"You do?"

"Yeah. You're married to Bella's sister."

Bella huh? He'd never heard her name said that way and it was quite interesting to hear it said as such Jasper thought as he slid the key into the lock on his safe and began turning the barrel first left, then right, then left again. "That's right. How is my sister in law?" he asked as he withdrew the file folders from their hiding place and took them back to his desk.

"Not very happy with me at the moment, but she's...shit," Edward sighed as he swiped at the condensation of his beer glass. Running his hand through his hair yet again he winced. His scalp was beginning to get sore from his fingers constantly rubbing it with nerves and stress and his mind-to-mouth connection was failing him badly. "Look, can we just cut the shit? I know what you want from me."

Jasper was startled by the forthright language but covered it well. "You do? Do tell," he hedged and sat back in his chair to listen to the answer.

Edward sighed heavily and worried at his hair a little more as he considered the right way to word it. "You want me to stay away from Bella. I get it, okay? You don't need to spell it out for me and you certainly don't need to initiate any legal proceedings."

_That_ made Jasper spring forward in his chair and almost made him drop the phone. "And why do you believe I'd be contacting you to insist upon that exactly?" Jasper hedged.

"Because her family, and you too if you are representing them legally I guess, think I'm no good for her. I know that she's engaged, so you don't need to spell it out. My father's probably gotten wind of me spending time with her and he's engaged your services to warn me off I'm guessing. Either way I get it. I imagine there has been mention of gold digging, corruption and probably alienation of affections from her family," Edward answered as bravely as he could.

Jasper was stunned. Stunned and appalled. He would never, ever make an uninformed character judgement on another and he would never entertain the notion of telling anyone else what they should do and whom they should do it with on a social basis. Not only did Jasper Whitlock not roll that way but he'd been on the receiving end of that type of character assassination himself and would not condone it done to another human being.

And that's why; with nothing other than his gut feelings to rely on, he was straight with Edward. "I am not the Swan family's lawyer, though I have drafted a number of documents for them in my time. And I've not been engaged by your family at this time either. I don't know anything about you personally, except for what's publicly available of course, so I wouldn't begin to cast aspersions on your character. Calling you a gold digger is ridiculous, and you know why. If you are corrupting my sister in law I'd say that was her business and none of mine. Unless of course she doesn't want to be corrupted by you. Then you and I would have issues. As for alienation of affection," he chuckled, "go your hardest."

Edward swallowed heavily, the sound of it quite clear down the phone line. "But...but..." he stammered, a left over boyhood reaction to stress.

"No buts," Jasper insisted. "I mean it. If you and Isabella are corrupting each other that is none of mine or anyone else's, business. But I can assure you, if you hurt the girl in any way, I'll come for you Edward."

"Yeah," Edward sighed. "I figured. Look, can we be frank with each other?"

"I have been and I'd appreciate it if you were," Jasper assured.

"I like her. A lot. And I realise I'm nobody and I've got nothing to offer her, but I do like her. I wouldn't try and sway her in any way though. I haven't advised her what to do and I won't. I just want the decision to be hers."

Jasper considered that for a second before replying. "I'm pleased to hear that you like her and I'm even more pleased to hear that you want her to make choices for herself. But you aren't nobody and you certainly aren't penniless. So let's have no more talk about that."

"Future earnings if I end up staying on in dad's firm, maybe," Edward grumbled, "but other than that..."

"I wouldn't call the Cullen legacy nothing," Jasper chuckled.

"A legacy of lies and sneaky backdoor deals," Edward muttered darkly.

It was then that Jasper twigged. The dealings that he'd had with Carlisle Cullen all those years ago began to make some sense. At last. He was about to explain to Edward why he had more to offer Isabella than future earnings when Edward interrupted.

"If there is anything you can do, any strings you can pull, any favours you can call in then you have to do it. Bella can't marry Jake Black. And not because I want her for myself, even though I do. She just can't marry _him_. I don't know how to make her see, and she won't believe me when I tell her, but he's evil. He's mixed up in this crazy scheme with her dad and my dad and shit... she's going to be stuck in the middle...and I don't know who to tell or what to do," Edward all but sobbed, his panicked emotions spilling from his lips as his brain worked on overload to divest itself of all the awful thoughts at once.

Of course this wasn't news to Jasper. He'd spent the past days locked in his office with Mike sifting through endless paperwork, attempting to follow not only the paper trail but the money trail that would give him the 'out' he needed for Isabella.

"Okay Edward, you need to calm down there buddy," Jasper said as calmly as he could. He'd always known that the key to getting Isabella out of her predicament was going to be this guy. Right from the instant Rosie had mentioned Isabella's interest. Even before he'd known an actual name he'd known. From the instant Tyler had confirmed their little romance he'd known. And it wasn't about Edward Cullen, not specifically anyway. Isabella didn't do little romances. Isabella didn't do romance full stop. If she'd fallen for someone he could help her get out of the mess she'd found herself in. If she had taken a liking to this guy that was all Jasper needed to know about him.

Taking a long, deep, cleansing breath Jasper gave his instructions slowly and clearly. "I'm going to send you some information, Edward. I can't stress enough how important it is that you keep the information confidential. If it gets out that I've been rummaging around in this stuff I'm toast, and so are you and probably Isabella too and she's going to have to marry Jake just to cover this shit up. I know you don't want that and I know she doesn't want that either, so the quieter this stays the better for you both. I'll fax it so it gets to you quickly and I'll send it to the fax in Rosie's private office. You can trust Rosie and you can trust Tyler too. But I'd still rather you didn't divulge anything in the documents until I tell you that you can, can we agree to that?" he asked.

"Rosie? You mean Rosalie? The director here?" Edward asked, baffled.

"That's her. She's not what she seems," Jasper said quietly. "Nothing sinister, let's just say that she's a friend and she's sympathetic to our mutual cause. Same goes for Tyler. Sorry to break it to you buddy but the walls have eyes and ears there."

"Tyler? Journalist Tyler? Cabin next to mine Tyler? What the fuck?" Edward hissed.

"Yeah, that Tyler. Look, it's complicated. But I swear it's nothing sinister. Neither of you are being watched or anything, but we sent Isabella there because we trusted Rosie to help her and Rosie trusts Tyler. So by extension you can trust them both. I'll explain more when I can. Can you agree to keep the documents to yourself and away from Isabella for now?"

"Yeah," Edward mumbled.

Jasper heard the soft tap at the door and moved towards it, "One second, Edward," he said down the line and opened the door to his wife. He mouthed the word 'Edward' at her and she held her cell phone up for him to see before she mouthed the word 'Isabella' at him. Nodding just once, and smiling widely at her, he went back to his desk and resumed his conversation. "Good. Now, I'll fax them first thing your tomorrow morning. Take them away, go into town to read them if you can. The pub might be good. Public place and all that, but away from camp too. Read over it all and get back to me. Don't email me whatever you do. Too traceable. Call this number, not the office number, or better yet fax me back any comments on a plain letterhead. Be vague if possible. I don't want to give any specifics over the phone but you'll understand that you and I are on the same page here once you've read what I send. As for the other points you've mentioned I'm going to fax you another document too, but this one is private for you. Your eyes only. I mean that. Giving you access to this one will get me fired," Jasper warned.

"Okay," Edward sighed again. His head was swimming with questions but he knew that the answers were going to lie in these documents and that Jasper wasn't willing to discuss them over the phone. "Just tell me that it's her choice. This marriage. Please tell me that if she chooses not to do this someone there will support her?" he begged.

"I swear it," Jasper agreed easily. "It's why we got her the hell out of here for a while in the first place. So she could decide for herself, without influence. I swear to you that if she chooses not to get married her sister and I will be there for her."

"Good."

"And as for you, Edward, you should know that we're here for you too as of right now. If Isabella trusts you then we do too. If you need anything, or there is anything you want to talk about you just call. Anytime," Jasper offered.

"She's so mad at me," Edward whispered, afraid to voice it.

Jasper couldn't help but grin at the comment. This guy was enamoured enough with his sister in law to be worried about having upset her. "Alright," he began, "I'm taking off my lawyer hat and putting on my guy hat. Shoot," he chuckled.

Edward took a slug from his beer and sighed heavily. "It's a long story," he mumbled.

"I'm wide awake," Jasper laughed, "And it always is a long story where women are concerned."

Grateful and relieved to have someone to talk to Edward spilled his guts. All of it. Meeting Bella, their first interactions, their first kiss. He related how he felt about her, how happy she made him, how many times they'd laughed and all about their trips to town together. He explained how sad she'd been when she first arrived and how anxious and hemmed in he'd felt himself upon his arrival.

He talked to Jasper for two hours. All his hopes and fears came pouring out. He told how he didn't want to work for his father; how he hated the deals he'd had to be party to. He told about a lifetime of longing for music and his cowardly acceptance of his mother's life plan for him came out too and at the end of the conversation he felt lighter. He was no closer to a solution, to any of his or Bella's problems, but he did feel lighter for having gotten it all off his chest even if Jasper didn't turn out to be someone who could help.

He ended the call feeling better that Bella had at least the support of her sister and brother in law in her own troubles.

When three o'clock rolled around it was a more focused Edward who went to the music store to meet Pete. He was able to concentrate on the particulars of the young woman who he was going to meet and he was able to think more clearly about what Pete wanted him to look and listen for as they worked with her at the piano.

It was a happier Edward who returned to camp in the late afternoon and when Emmett came to find him in the conference centre he had been playing the camp piano for fun not out of frustration.

The new scheme Emmett presented him with sounded like a bit of fun and after two full days of anguish and anxiety Edward was up for a bit of fun.

* * *

Bella apologised for waking her sister when a groggy Mary Alice finally answered her cell phone, but wasted no time with pleasantries after that.

"I need your help," she all but barked down the line the instant her sister said she was awake enough to talk. "I've met someone," Bella began without hesitation. "He's a great guy and we get along really well but he's told me some things in the past couple of days that have my head in a spin and I need your help to make sense of them."

Mary Alice was wide awake then, if she hadn't been two minutes before. This was what she'd been waiting for. For Isabella to begin questioning her situation for herself. With her robe pulled tight around her waist Mary Alice crept down the stairs and paused at the door of her husband's study. "Give me two minutes and I'll call you right back," she told her sister firmly and disconnected the call.

Once she knew that Jasper was speaking with Edward she let him know that she was going to be speaking with Bella and made her way into the kitchen. She switched on the coffee pot and settled at the counter before dialling her sisters cell.

"Tell me everything," she told her sister when the call connected.

So Bella did. For the very first time Bella let it all out. All of it.

She explained how she wanted to go to college and live a life of her own design. She told her sister how she resented her mother and how unhappy she was at the thought of marrying Jake.

Bella told Alice all about Edward and how happy he made her feel. How they laughed and cuddled, kissed and held hands and then she told her sister how it had all unravelled in the last few days.

She told her sister about the accusations Edward had made about their fathers business dealings and all about his theory that her betrothal to Jake was just another business arrangement.

She outlined the information she'd been able to garner from the internet about the connections between the three families and admitted to her misgivings about the suspect nature of Jake's character.

When she could think of nothing else to add she asked Alice what she thought.

The line was silent for a long moment while Mary Alice thought about it and then, when she did speak, it was very quietly. "I think you might be right," she whispered almost conspiratorially to her little sister. "I think Jakes proposal was a political manoeuvre and I think he's a bastard," she admitted.

"What do I do now?" Bella begged, relieved to have at least her sister on side.

Wishing she could ask Jasper the best course of action Mary Alice gave her sister the best advice she could without consultation. "I think you should let me and Jaz check out the business side of things and I think you should talk to Edward as soon as you can. You can't do anything about your situation here at home until you have all the information to hand, so you should put that aside for now. I think you should do your best to mend things with Edward for right now and see if you can salvage that friendship while you wait. If he's someone you want in your life you should do your best to make that right."

Bella agreed and Mary Alice promised to enlist her husband's help to try and make sense of the business side of things. The two sisters hung up happier than either of them had been when the conversation began.

Bella went outside to try and work out what the terrible din was at the back of the cabins and Mary Alice went to find her husband.

The couple met in the hall outside his office.

"I think Edward's in love with your sister," Jasper grinned as he reached for her hand.

"And I think my sister's in love with Edward Cullen," Mary Alice chimed as she took his hand into hers. "Are you coming back to bed?" she asked.

Jasper kissed her knuckles and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand gently. "No, Sweetpea. Edward's asked the right questions and I've told him I'll fax him the answers so I need to go and make that happen."

"Bella's finally asking the right questions too," Mary Alice smiled. "I've told her that you'll look into it all and that we'll get back to her as soon as we know anything."

"Good girl," Jasper said proudly. "Give Edward a chance to absorb the information I'm sending and give him a chance to explain it all to her and then we'll call them both and check how it all went, alright?"

Nodding thankfully Mary Alice pressed a soft kiss to her husband's cheek and moved towards the stairs to go back to bed. Turning back before she stepped up Mary Alice asked her husband if his impression of Edward Cullen had been confirmed from their conversation.

"Definitely," Jasper said happily. "He's a good guy, Sweetpea. He's honest and respectful and he truly does have your sisters best interests at heart. At the expense of his own actually," he frowned. "But I think I can help him with that. I don't want you to worry darlin', this is all panning out exactly right."

With a quiet thank you Mary Alice returned to her bed with a happy heart.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. **

**Please review. **


	12. Chapter 12

"Why is it so fucking heavy?" Edward asked as he shoved the porta-potty with his shoulder again and again.

"Because it's got a load onboard," Emmett chuckled as he put his shoulder to it again too.

"Tell me you sealed the lid," Edward begged as they wrestled the huge plastic and metal monstrosity further up the hill and away from the cabins.

"Of course I bloody did," Emmett laughed. "Another couple of metres should do it," he suggested as both men heaved.

A good sized crowd had gathered to watch the flight of the potty but nobody volunteered to help move the thing to its final position. When it was placed just so, far enough away from the cabins so as not to cause damage, Em told Edward to call for any last bets while Emmett doubled back to retrieve his explosive of choice for the job.

Bella deliberately kept to the back of the gathered group, out of the line of sight of Edward, but she didn't take her eyes off him as he moved about the crowd, showing cash into his pockets as he went. He looked tired, she thought. If he was as wound up as she'd been for the last couple of days then she knew why and understood completely.

She felt lonely and worried about all that she'd learned and was concerned that when she did learn more she was going to feel even worse.

It was the first time she'd felt lonely in a long time. Maybe the first time as an adult even. The years spent away from her family had left her feeling adrift but the time spent away from Edward made her chest hurt and her belly ache.

Talking with her sister had allayed some of her fears but had also created a few more in their stead. If Edward was putting as much thought into the situation as she was then he must be mentally exhausted too.

Edward, acutely aware of Bella no matter where she was, spotted her at the back of the crowd for himself. Realising that she was keeping her distance on purpose he honoured that decision and did his best not to search her out with his eyes. It wasn't easy.

He was feeling lonely and adrift too. He hadn't slept well, when he'd bother to try, and knew that his attachment to Bella had already taken a great hold on him. He couldn't settle without her.

She looked as tired as he felt though she was still just as beautiful as ever to him. His body hummed at her closeness and he longed to be able to take her into his arms as he had so often lately.

He wished the hours away between now and when he'd have Whitlock's documents in his hand and could prove to Bella once and for all that his accusations were true. He dreaded having to do that, knowing how much it was going to hurt her to learn the truth on paper, but he knew that it had to be done.

If she didn't want anything to do with him after he'd proved it all to her he'd live with that. His desire for her and his need for their fledgling relationship to progress wouldn't stop him from showing her the truth even if it meant he lost the hope of a friendship with her. It was the right thing to do and it didn't matter what the consequences of being the messenger meant for himself.

When Emmett returned to the field with the box of rockets Edward was forced to give his concentration to the task and to try to put aside his thoughts of Bella.

The rockets weren't what he'd been expecting as Emmett took each one from its packaging. For a start they were much bigger than he'd thought and they didn't exactly look like the firecrackers he'd been expecting them to look like either.

They looked like weapons rather than fireworks.

"You sure about this?" he asked Emmett one last time as he donned the goggles and asbestos gloves he'd been handed.

"No worries," Emmett assured him as he too donned the goggles and gloves. "I've seen this done before." Taking the last one from its protective plastic wrapping he nodded towards the ones at Edward's feet. "Put one at each back corner," he instructed a nervous Edward as he handed him a handful of cable ties to secure them.

Edward did as he was asked and looped the ties through the mounting brackets at the bottom of each of the back corners while Emmett did the same to the front. The two 'spare' rockets Emmett tied to the brackets on opposing sides of the structure.

Taking six lengths of cord from his bag of tricks he tied one to each of the fuses on the bottom of the rockets and then plaited all six together to form a thick rope. He let off a longer piece from the spool and tied it to the end of the plait. He let out more and more as he backed away from the potty and when he'd judged the distance to be enough he snipped its end and took out a lighter from his pocket.

He asked the crowd to take a few more paces backwards and once everyone and everything was in place he lit the cord in his hand.

A collective breath was held as all eyes watched the cord go up in flames along its length. The only sound was the hiss and crackle as it burnt.

There was no way to make the rockets all ignite at exactly the same time with the simple equipment to hand, but they caught alight with only seconds in between.

Even Edward was impressed as the first rocket exploded. Thinking his roommate had finally gotten the 'dosage' right he grinned as that first rocket did its best to rock the structure. The second went off with a load pop and the potty began to rock again, more violently this time. Before it could settle back on all its feet the third and fourth rocket went off and then it was bucking wildly back and forth before it lifted off the ground and seemed to hover about half a metre from its resting place.

Thinking he was about to clean up big time with the bets Emmett grinned smugly at his roommate. He opened his mouth to gloat but whatever he was going to say was drowned out underneath the roar of rockets five and six igniting and exploding in a shower of smoke and sparks.

With the potty already off the ground the upwards momentum of the last two rockets launched that toilet into the sky so quickly nobody had time to duck or cover as it took off.

Having no actual idea how powerful the rockets were singly Emmett had only half a second to wonder how long the upward thrust would last before the potty speared off sideways as the first rocket had consumed all its energy.

He didn't have long to wait to find out.

Still a foot off the ground the toilet tipped on its side and looked like Wiley Coyote atop his Acme rocket as it sped along. It was moving so fast that the crowd began to run in all directions, nobody really knowing where the thing was going to come to stop. As it shot off along the field Emmett and Edward could only stand and stare as the final two rockets spent their last and the potty cleared the end of the cabins, took the heads off the late blooming roses in the front garden and crashed into the side a tiny little emerald green convertible in the main carpark.

The crowd ran as one towards the final resting place and a collective gasp at the damage to the vehicle rent the air as everyone neared the potty.

The smell hit noses instantly as everyone crowded around to see the damage. The mess was appalling, shit - and the chemicals used to break it down - had spewed out of the structure with such force that it formed a puddle around the car and the all but destroyed toilet housing. The side and top of the car were covered in it and as Rose came running out of the administration block to see what had happened all she could do was gape at the deep gouges in the side of her beloved car.

"What the fuck?" she wailed as she ran towards a crowd that was fast dispersing, leaving just Edward, Emmett and Bella standing beside the wreckage of both car and porta-potty.

It didn't take much convincing from Emmett to make Edward and Bella flea the area and so it was left up to him to explain to Rose exactly what he'd done.

* * *

Bella and Edward ran back towards the cabins as fast as their feet would take them. Edward felt bad leaving Emmett behind to face the wrath of Rose because he was just as responsible for the damage as his roommate was, but he was also grateful for the chance to be near Bella.

His secondary concern was facing Rose who he now knew wasn't quite what she purported to be. What exactly she was he didn't know yet, but she wasn't merely the director of the camp either. So he was grateful to not be in her presence until he knew.

He ran along behind Bella, his hands ready to catch her should she slip on the muddy ground. When they reached her cabin he stepped up under the awning with her. He was silent as she unlocked her door and as she stepped inside he opened his mouth to beg her to talk to him but closed it as his bravery fled his mind.

Instead he gave her a quick nod and made his way to his own cabin. He hadn't been in it for two whole days and was eager to shower and change his clothing.

He was also dog tired. The few moments of actual sleep he'd had on the floor in the pressing shed weren't enough to sustain him and after a boiling hot shower he collapsed gratefully into his bed. In the few minutes of consciousness he had before sleep took him over he grieved for the fledgling relationship he had with Bella to date.

Bella stood with her back to her cabin door for a long time after Edward left. She desperately wanted to talk to him, to put right what was wrong between them, but she didn't have any idea how to begin such a discussion. And so she'd let him walk away.

She knew that her sisters suggestion was a good one. She knew that she wanted Edward in her life, in any capacity that he'd allow, and that her priority right then should be putting back together their relationship. She could see the wisdom in the suggestion that she put aside any further talk of what was going on at home behind her back, but she didn't know if it was possible to repair the damage done between herself and Edward without a resolution to that part of her problem.

And so she stayed silent as he walked away.

She felt exhausted and dirty from being so near the excrement in the parking lot at the front of camp and her brain felt muddy and foggy from all the deep thinking she'd done over the course of the day. So she too took a boiling hot shower and retreated to the comfort and sanctuary of her bed.

* * *

Emmett assumed he was going to be on the end of one of Rose's rants and so he steadied himself to receive it as she ran towards him, the remains of the potty and got her first look at the damage to her car.

He steeled himself for her anger and knew that if she resorted to physical violence he'd deserve it and would take it like a man. She looked as though she might.

He watched as she circled the area. He watched her cringe at the smell and scowl at the buckled hulk of the toilet's shell. He cringed himself when she put a hand to her mouth to cover her distraught groan when she looked at the side of her vehicle.

He readied himself to plead his case and got himself ready to apologise. He had a pocket full of cash and knew that it was going to take at least half of it to pay for the toilet and the car repairs. He fingered the notes in his pocket and knew that he and Edward were still going to make a tidy profit.

As Rose finally stopped circling the impact zone and strode towards him he put his hands out in front of himself in surrender and opened his mouth to begin his apologies.

"Don't," Rose sighed as she passed right by him. "Do not open your mouth," she said quite calmly for someone who had shit all over the soles of her shoes and all over her car. "My office, ten minutes, bring your winnings," she said without turning to look at him as she went by.

How she knew he had winnings he had no idea but figured it wasn't too big a leap for her to make so he simply nodded even though she couldn't see him do it.

He watched her walk into the building. Or rather he watched her swaying ass as she walked into the building.

Their relationship, or whatever it could be called, was far from a happy one. She'd been avoiding him since the incident with the fish and his subsequent 'fight club' attempt at raising more funds to pay for those damages. She hadn't even looked at him during the trivia night and over the past two days she'd gone out of her way to be nowhere near where he was inside the camp.

To Emmett she was a good looking woman that he found both fun and easy to mess with. To Rose he was a foolish, childish trouble maker with no sense of personal responsibility for anything or anyone.

Emmett couldn't understand Rose's worry over damage to the camp and its equipment and facilities and Rose couldn't understand why Emmett didn't care about those things himself.

When Rose got to her office she blew her nose into a tissue, smoothed her hair down with a shaking hand and took in five deep breaths to calm herself before she sat at her desk and opened her laptop.

She was still watching the printer spew out its pages when Emmett knocked on her door exactly ten minutes later. She called for him to come in and when he did she offered him the seat opposite her desk. He sat in it, his head hung forward and his hands in his lap.

Rose finished what she was doing on her laptop but didn't close it before speaking. "I don't want your hollow apologies," she began crisply, "so don't bother offering me one this time."

Emmett did lift his eyes to meet hers but quickly hung his head again once he could see that she was serious.

"I don't know why you insist on fucking with me and this camp," Rose huffed. "And I don't know what your fascination for trouble is about either and right now I really don't give a shit what your excuse is going to be."

"I don't have one," Emmett mumbled.

Rose had no idea why he did the things he did. Why he found them amusing. Why he instigated trouble at every turn. He looked sorry and he looked contrite, but the reasoning behind his behaviour she couldn't fathom.

She knew ranting at him would do nothing. He'd probably been yelled at his whole life for pranks like this and it hadn't mattered to him in the least because he kept right on doing it.

She knew appealing to his sense of responsibility wouldn't work either, because Emmett didn't have one.

Rose stared at him for along minute before deciding on a totally different direction than the ranting, raving one she really wanted to take.

Berating him like a small child just wasn't going to work. Guilt was probably not something he could understand and so Rose found herself resorting to the only thing he was likely to respond to, understanding and insight.

She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and told him something personal.

"I'm going to tell you something that nobody else here knows. None of the guests that is," Rose said calmly. "My name is Rosalie Lillian Hale and I own Crossroads. I built it after being sent away to a self help camp myself. I had a nervous breakdown under the stress of final exams at high school and got into drugs and alcohol as a way to relieve that stress. Of course the partying didn't work and I ended up in rehab for three months before I was sent to a posh English camp for wayward young ladies."

"You own this place?" Emmett asked even though he knew she wasn't finished speaking yet.

"I do," she confirmed. "The camp I was sent to was a joke and I knew I could do better. So I did. The corporate side of things here pays for the private side, but you've cost me a pretty penny in your short stay here and I need it to stop."

_Now_ Emmett understood. She'd been stressed about the damage to the toilet block and the storeroom because it was her who was going to have to pay the excess on the insurance policy, not some fat cat businessman who ran the place at a loss for taxation. It was Rose who was going to have to pay to replace the canoe he'd destroyed with dynamite and it was Rose who was going to have to pay to replace the porta-potty. Not to mention all the damage to her car this time around. This time she was going to have to go through her car insurance firm to have it repaired. She'd be up for the excess on that policy as well as the increase in her instalments for the future because she'd made a claim.

Fuck.

He'd fucked up.

Big time.

He'd hurt her and her camp and he knew it now.

"I'm so sorry..." he began but was cut off quick smart.

"I said I don't want your fucking apology," Rose hissed across the desk at him. "Look, I told you I don't know what your fucking problem is and that at this point I don't really care. What I do need from you is to put it in writing that you'll stop destroying my fucking camp!" she yelled across at him.

"Yeah, of course," he mumbled, finally ashamed of himself after years of fuck ups that meant nothing to him personally. But, for the first time, Emmett found that hurting this woman did mean something to him personally. It hurt him that he'd hurt her. "I'll sign whatever you want me to sign," he told her truthfully. "But I swear that I won't do anything stupid again."

"Forgive me for not believing your word," she said as she slid across the desk a page of typing on a Crossroads letterhead. "Read it and sign it or go home," she said simply.

His reaction wasn't what she expected, just as her reaction to his latest escapade hadn't been what Emmett had expected.

Emmett's whole body seemed to crumple in on itself in the chair. His shoulders rounded as he hung his head lower towards his chest, his hands going immediately to his eyes as he scrubbed at them. A low, rumbling sound came from deep in his throat and Rose could only look on in despair as he began to cry.

Emmett didn't cry. Ever. Or at least he hadn't since becoming an adult anyway. But the anguish he felt as he sat opposite this woman in her office flooded his system so wholly the tears sprang to his eyes without warning.

"Don't send me home," Emmett sobbed. "Please don't send me home."

Without thinking Rose left her chair and went to him. Normally she would've just sat back and waited until her guest got everything out of his system and then continued on with her business. But this, watching Emmett cry, touched her in a way she'd never experienced before. She slid into the empty chair at his side and put her hand on his shoulder. That he flinched told her how rare it was for him to accept comfort and touch and another piece of her heart melted for the big child beside her.

She let him cry. And cry he did. Great big fat tears slid from his eyes unwillingly. The harder he tried to choke them back the more they came until he was crying them into her shoulder and accepting her comfort where he should be offering his.

He'd fucked up. He'd damaged her car and her property and she was comforting him. It was all the wrong way around and that only made him cry all the harder.

Watching him fall apart tugged at Rose' heartstrings so brutally that she found herself battling tears of her own. There was just something about this guy that hit her right in the chest. A pull towards him that she'd never felt before with anyone else. He forced her to care about him. Whatever it was about him made her want to reassure him, so she did.

Her anger dissipated instantly and she found herself almost whispering. "It's okay," she cooed, uncharacteristically. "It'll be alright," she assured him. "I've got insurance and it'll all be good as new," she told him even as she thought that it should be him reassuring her that everything would be alright.

Doing his best to hold off another fresh wave of tears Emmett clung to her and willed himself to man up. "I'll pay for it all," he said through a thickened throat. With a last swipe at his eyes and a last sniff he steadied and put himself back into his own chair fully. "I'm so sorry for all of this," he began, knowing she didn't want his apology but needing to give it anyway. "I never meant to hurt you or your camp, or your car," he added at the end. "I really didn't. It was just supposed to be a bit of fun."

"I know that," Rose conceded, because she really did know that about him. "But your bits of fun are dangerous Em," she whispered, using his nickname for the first time and liking how it felt rolling off her tongue. "You could really get hurt, or hurt someone else if you keep going like this. I don't know what the attraction to blowing shit up is about but you need to stop doing it this way."

"I never mean for anything to get broken and I'd never hurt anyone on purpose," he sniffed. He hated being chastised by her again but he could accept the logic in her statement.

"I know that too," she admitted. "And this time it was just that toilet and my car that was damaged, but imagine the consequences if it had've been Edward, or Bella, that got hurt."

That's when his shakes began. Partly because he was craving alcohol and partly because the thought of hurting either of his friends was abhorrent to him. But the shakes just wouldn't subside as he sat there thinking about what she'd said. He'd never forgive himself if anything happened to anyone because of his pranks.

"I'll stop. No more explosives," he announced and meant it too.

Rose smiled then. She handed him a tissue off her desk and put her arm back around his shoulders. He flinched again but it was a lesser movement and that made Rose happy. "Can we talk a little bit about why you're here?" she asked carefully and felt him flinch again.

"Don't send me home," he begged, his whole body tensing again. "I can't go home. I'll leave if you want me to, but I can't go home."

"I won't," she assured him. "I won't make you go if you really don't want to. I won't send you home if you lay off the dangerous stuff. But this has to stop. You need to be aware of how dangerous these things are. I want to help you, but I don't know enough about you to be able to do that. Can you tell me why you're here? Please?"

Emmett felt his tears surfacing again and did his best to hold them at bay before answering. "It's pretty simple," he moaned. "I'm a fuck up, Rose. You know it, I know it and my family knows it. That's why I'm here. Because I don't fit anywhere else."

"Alright," she sighed, standing and holding her hand out for him as she did. He stared at her hand for a little while and then put his into hers. "Come on, I want to show you something," she told him as she led him out of her office.

They stopped by the front desk while Rose arranged for one of the reception girls to organise a cleanup crew for the car park and for someone to get a message to the porta-potty people to ask what to do about the damaged unit out front. She asked the girls to take messages for her if anyone called and that she didn't want to be disturbed unless it was absolutely necessary.

With that organised Rose led a shaking Emmett away from the administration block and towards her private cabin. He followed like a lost puppy, his head on his chest the whole way.

She sat him in her little living room and after a few minutes in her kitchen she put a steaming cup of hot chocolate into his hands and put one for herself on the coffee table. She left the room for a moment and when she returned she set a scrapbook onto the table beside her drink.

She could see him still shaking steadily and wondered if it was from booze withdrawal or the realisation that his life really was at a crossroads right now. Either way he had a long road to travel and she was worried that he wasn't going to want her help to traverse it. That hurt. Wondering if he'd accept her help or not. It hit her hard just how much it was going to hurt her if he denied her.

Knowing she had to try at the very least she told him to drink his drink and listen and watch as she walked him through her own private journal that documented her own steps into oblivion.

The first pages had shots of her and her school friends from better times. She was smiling and laughing in them all. Her face was shiny and clear, her eyes bright and full of life and teenage fun. Then she showed him what she'd looked like before going to rehab. It was the dullness in her eyes that shocked Em the most. The lank hair, the spotty complexion he could write off as normal hormonal teenage changes, but her eyes were so blank that he sucked in a shocked breath as she turned page after page.

She showed him her school records before and after her breakdown. She showed him the black hole that her life became because she'd tried to fit into everyone else's image of whom and what she should be.

She told him what it had felt like for her to let her parents down at every turn by not following their path into the family business. She did her best to describe how wonderful the alcohol and the drugs made her feel and the spiral to near total destruction she'd walked. She explained how she'd felt the first time she'd tried to kill herself and why. She told him all about her recovery and how and when she knew that building Crossroads was going to be her life's work. She told him how she paired up the roommates based on their life experiences and about a few of the success stories of previous campers.

She outlined some of the not so successful stays too. She told him how it felt for her to fail those guests and how it made her want to work harder every time another guest came to stay with similar problems.

She admitted to checking out his history and to trying to find out about his family and his schooling. She admitted to being disappointed that he'd been expelled from university and that she'd been at a loss as to work out why he continually put himself in situations he had to know were going to get him into serious trouble.

Emmett listened to all that she had to say and felt progressively worse as she went on. His problems seemed to pale into insignificance as she explained what her earlier life had been like. His childish acts of rebellion were pathetic when he reasoned that she'd felt badly enough about her own situation that she'd tried to kill herself.

By the time she asked him what it was he really wanted out of life Emmett was a blubbering mess. Again.

Again she held him as he cried. Again he flinched when she touched him to offer comfort.

And when he was finally spent and asleep in her lap Rose let herself give in and cry for him too.

* * *

Edward woke with a start in the middle of the night. He was drenched in sweat and the fear from his nightmare wouldn't leave him as he dragged his aching body from his bed and into yet another shower.

He'd missed dinner and his stomach hurt with cramp as he rummaged through the little kitchenette for something that resembled real food and not alcohol or a snack. Coming up empty he threw on a coat and wandered down to the quiet dining hall in search of some fruit from the chiller.

With his pockets full and a coffee in hand he gazed longingly at the light from Bella's cabin. Disappointed she wasn't outside sitting under the awning where he could see her he went and sat on his own porch.

He ate his way through the fruit and sipped at his drink while he smoke cigarette after cigarette.

He felt worse than he had the day he'd arrived. Back then all he'd had to worry about was finding some fun and a few distractions to while away his time at camp before returning home to the monotony and the drudgery of a job he didn't want and a life he hated.

Right now it felt as though his worries had doubled, or even tripled, because now he wasn't just worried for himself. Now he was concerned about Bella and Emmett too.

His roommate hadn't come back all night and his bed hadn't been slept in. The administration block was empty and dark and there was no sign of his errant friend.

Edward had no idea what the repercussions of their latest money making scheme was going to be but he knew it wasn't going to be good. Expensive at the least. Possibly involving the police at the worst. He hoped that Emmett wasn't languishing in a cell right then.

Funny how the thought of a stint in an Australian jail didn't bother him nearly as much as it would've four short weeks ago. The idea of the solitude was almost welcoming.

Bella, already awake and staring at her bedroom ceiling, heard someone moving about outside and wondered if it was Edward or Emmett. After scrubbing her face and pulling her hair up into a ponytail Bella set off to find out all she could about the fallout from today's scheme.

Tugging her coat tighter around her middle to ward off the chill in the night air Bella stepped out onto her porch and looked about. The dining hall was lit up like it always was but everything else was in darkness owing to the late hour. The only illumination that she could see was the red flicker of a cigarette under the awning of the cabin next-door.

She made her way over to it slowly, running over in her head what she'd say if it was Emmett and trying to calm herself in case it was Edward. She knew which of the two it was long before she got to the other cabin. Even with his shoulders hunched over and his face hidden behind his hair she knew it was Edward. She'd know his long fingers and the shape of his body anywhere.

She gave herself a mental pep talk and sat in the chair opposite his without invitation. She took and lit a cigarette for herself and only after she'd taken a long drag did she speak.

"I'm so sorry I wouldn't listen and I'm really sorry I left you there, in the shed," she whispered across the space between them.

Edward took a drag on his own smoke before replying. "I would've done the same," he admitted.

"No, I don't think you would have," she whispered. "You're too nice to do that to anyone."

Shocked at her words Edward leaned forward and put his head into his hands. "I'm not, I'm really not," he sighed, thinking about all the ways he'd fucked her over before he even knew her. "I'm so sorry for the way I behaved towards you the other night. You didn't deserve that and I need you to know that it was only because of my own self loathing and no reflection on how I think of you."

Bella allowed a small smile to cross her lips before she leaned over and touched her fingertips to his as they cradled his face. He jumped at her touched and when he lifted his head she could see the hurt and worry etched onto his beautiful face. "I accept your apology," she told him with another small smile. "But only if you'll accept mine in return?"

"You have nothing to apologise to me for," Edward all but barked as he straightened in his seat. "You've done nothing wrong, especially towards me."

"I have," she contradicted. "I didn't stop to consider what would make you behave that way towards me and instead of listening when you tried to tell me I got defensive and left you there. I should've shown you the courtesy of listening. I'm really sorry I didn't."

Edward waved away her reasoning and insisted once again that she had nothing to be sorry for. "Does that mean you believe me now?" he asked hopefully.

"About some things I do," Bella admitted softly. "And I've done some research and talked to someone myself who I think will be able to help me find out some other things. But I need you to know that I don't blame you for any of this. You didn't know anything about me when you sat in on those meetings with your dad. You couldn't know that we'd meet and that we might mean something to one another one day."

Edward lifted his head so quickly at her words that he felt the bones in his neck snap and pop with the movement. "You _do_ mean something to me," he almost shouted. "You do. You're very, very important to me Bella and if I'd known then what I know now I never would've played the part that I did and I certainly would've done all I could to stop it all before it began."

Bella's heart soared as Edward put voice to his feelings, however vaguely, and her body relaxed just a little as he said just the right things about her situation. This was the way their conversation should've gone right from the start. She should've listened more closely and not been so defensive about it.

Reaching between them again Bella slid her hand into Edward's and sighed happily for the first time in days at the contact. Edward echoed the movement and then grinned over the table at her. Her hand was so warm and soft. Her smile made him happy and he felt a little of his inner turmoil slide away as they sat hand in hand under the awning. She hadn't confessed that he meant anything to her but as he rubbed the fingers of his free hand over their clasped ones he realised she didn't need to. Her ring wasn't there.

* * *

Rose sat as still as possible while Emmett slept. She ran her fingers through his thick, black hair softly and followed the same repetitive pattern over and over as she watched his eyelids flutter through his dreams.

She knew when he was close to waking because he began to jerk and shift as his body and mind came back to consciousness. She smiled down at him as his eyes opened and waited patiently through his mumbled apologies for having fallen asleep and for having done it in her private cabin.

It took her a little while to calm him down and to reassure him that it was perfectly fine and then she offered him orange juice and sandwiches over and over until he agreed to consume them.

She knew his shakes were from alcohol withdrawal by this point and nothing to do with nerves or fear. He was no different to the hundred other guests who had shown up with either serious drinking problems or serious drinking hobbies.

She hoped his was a hobby but knew well enough not to broach that subject just yet.

Once he was fed and watered she sat back down in the living room with him and tried again to start a conversation about his future and about why he was at camp.

This time, with food and drink in his stomach and his fear a little bit more allayed he was more receptive to her questions and more open with his answers.

He found it rather cathartic to tell someone the truth about his life, his feelings and his needs. Rose found it refreshing to learn that all he really wanted to do was have good friends who accepted him for who he was and to find a job that he loved rather than tolerated.

She learned that most of her assumptions about him and his family were sadly true.

When his sister was born he revelled in being a big brother and could remember being punished often for refusing to leave her to go to school of a morning. The memory made him grin and his dimples make their first appearance of the evening.

Rose noted that the only time she got to see them was when he spoke of his beloved little sister.

He described a fairly normal, if somewhat privileged childhood, and recounted all the usual social scenes from someone of their generation. He dragged his little sister along to as many social engagements as he could and still counted her as his best friend.

His face clouded over when he told her that their parents had given up on him when his sister began to show real promise in the medical field but they had stiffly rejected any notion that he not become a doctor himself. Failing his exams countless times didn't deter them from the idea of having both children as doctors in their own right at some point.

They both honestly believed that he was going through a phase and that he'd grow up and settle down at some point to take his studies seriously. It didn't matter how many times he told them he didn't want to be a doctor. They did listen but they didn't hear is how he described those conversations.

No matter how he rebelled against them and what they wanted for him they never once relented and let him drop medicine from his class schedules. He was free to take whatever other classes he wanted but medicine was to be his major avenue of study. There was no negotiating.

Emmett had learned from a young age that he couldn't gain his parents affection or attention academically so he'd switched to acting out to get the snippets of attention they had to spare. Working on the assumption that any attention was good attention his pranks and escapades became more and more elaborate and more and more dangerous as their interest in him waned.

In contrast their interest in his sister continued to rise as her academic prowess came to the fore.

Rose was stunned to learn that Emmett loved and adored his little sister despite the lavish way their parents treated her and their harsh, unfeeling treatment of him. Someone without even half Emmett's capacity to love would've resented the sister and begun to distance himself from the parents. But he hadn't.

His huge heart loved them all anyway.

His sister in turn thought that the moon hung from Emmett's fingertips and she adored her brother as a sister should. He was humble in his praise of her and Rose could see that he basked in her love for him. Emmett's sister went to bat for him time and time again with their parents and it didn't matter to her what scrapes he got himself into, she was always his loudest and most fierce ally.

Emmett longed for the acceptance of his parents but was smart enough to know he wasn't likely to gain it without giving in to their wishes.

His final expulsion from university had seen his parents issue an ultimatum about his future that he couldn't bring himself to consider. He either graduates from medical school or he was on his own.

"But you can make a living at anything," Rose countered as he explained the choices he was given. "Even if you don't become a doctor you can be successful at something else, surely?"

Emmett snorted at the idea. "I know I can," he said defensively. "But not as far as my mum and dad are concerned. They have one son and one daughter and they expect to get two doctors at the end of the day. Whether we want to be doctors or not," he explained. "It's alright for my sister because she loves medicine, in all its facets. And she's so smart, I know she'll succeed," he said fondly. "But my parents just won't accept that success can be found for a McCarty outside that field."

Rose understood parental pressure and reminded him of that as they talked. He listened intently as she described how she'd gone against her own parents and had set a course for herself all those years ago.

"But what is your relationship like now?" Emmett asked when she'd finished her tale.

"It's good now," Rose assured him, "but for a long time it was very tense. I'm an only child so I was their one hope to continue the business," she told him. "So I was a big let down when I came back from that camp 'not fixed'," she chuckled as she used air quotes to make her point. "My dad died about five years ago but we'd made our peace before he passed away and my mum and I are on good terms now."

"But how did you get from tense to good?" he asked.

"Time I guess," Rose shrugged. "When I came home I was thinking clearly for the first time ever I think. I knew what I wanted and how to get it and I didn't stop ramming that home until they were forced to understand I was making my own decisions. It wasn't easy. I don't want you to think that a lifetime of subservience can be let go of in a few weeks or months. And from their point of view they were being forced to let go of their hopes and dreams for me too, so it was tough all round. But I knew that if I kept on the path they'd set for me I wouldn't survive to achieve what they wanted."

"I'm not suicidal," Emmett blurted without thinking.

"Not yet," Rose whispered, reaching across between them and putting her hand on his forearm. "But the constant intake of alcohol, the stress and tension of your situation and knowing that if you do what's right for you that you run the risk of losing your family will eventually lead you either right to it or very close to it."

Emmett stared at her for a long time after she said that. He ran her words over in his mind a few times and knew that she was right. Living the way he was was going to end up either making him ill or killing him.

Rose didn't wait for him to speak again. She simply asked her next question while she was on a roll and he was paying attention. "What do you think your sister would say, or do, if you told your family you wanted to do something other than medicine and truly meant it?"

Emmett didn't need thinking music for his answer. "She'd wish me luck and help in any way she could."

"So why haven't you done it yet?" Rose asked carefully.

"Because they'll cut me off," Emmett mumbled sadly.

"Maybe that's a good thing," Rose countered, not posing it as a question. "Maybe it's time you stood by yourself. Maybe the only way to truly get what you want, and be who you want to be, is by going it alone?"

"What if they never speak to me again?" Emmett croaked, obviously distressed at the thought. "What if they never want to see me again? On birthdays, Christmas. What if I can't see my mother for mother's day?" he all but wailed.

Rose smiled then. She couldn't help it. His talk of being cut off she'd taken to mean financially. She was relieved and pleased to hear that that wasn't the case at all. Emmett was worried that his parents wouldn't love him anymore if he went against them. It wasn't about money, it was about love.

Squeezing his forearm a little harder Rose shuffled forward on the sofa until they were almost nose to nose. "Em, any parent who withdraws their love for their child, for any reason, doesn't deserve to have them and any child who has to spend his whole life unhappy to keep that love alive deserves better. Anyone who withdraws from your life is a fool."

They were so close they were breathing the same air, exchanging breath for breath as they blinked to keep focus on one another.

"I got expelled from uni," Emmett whispered into the space between them. "They won't take me back now."

"Not all jobs require a degree," Rose assured him in a whisper of her own.

"I don't know what I'm good at," he countered, his fear of the unknown surfacing.

Shifting a little bit closer again Rose did rest her forehead against his. "I'll help you find that thing," she told him honestly.

Closing his eyes Emmett whispered in response, "Why?"

Tilting her face ever so slightly Rose aligned her lips to his and just before she closed the distance she told him that she liked him and wanted him to do what made him happy.

And then she kissed him.

* * *

Edward and Bella sat under the awning of his cabin a good long while, their hands clasped together firmly.

Both were worried about the damage done to their relationship by the recent revelations but neither wanted to be the one to ask the obvious questions of the other. Both felt fragile and afraid that what they'd both learned – or what they were both waiting to learn – would lead them away from one another, not closer.

It didn't cross either of their minds that moving away from one another might be in both of their best interests.

It was Bella who broke the ice and Edward was grateful.

"I talked to my sister today," she began hesitantly. "Her and my brother in law are going to find out what they can and then let me know."

"I talked to your brother in law today," Edward admitted to an astonished Bella. "He called me first, just so you know. He left a message while we were at the trivia night. I just didn't call him back until today."

"Jasper called you?"

"He did. Our conversation was pretty vague and I have to admit that I have more questions than answers right now, but he's sending me some documents in the morning and I'm hoping that some of the things we need to know will be in them," Edward told her hopefully.

"Is there a 'we', Edward?" Bella asked without thinking.

"Of course there is," he replied, without needing to think on it either. "At least there can be, if you want one."

"I've missed you," Bella blurted by way of an answer. It told Edward volumes.

"I don't want to spend another day like I did today," he admitted. "I can't think straight wondering if you're angry with me, or that you've been hurt by me, or just...I just can't spend another day like today."

"Then we won't," Bella said firmly. She squeezed the hand that was in hers and lifted her free hand to cup his cheek. "We'll wait for the information from Jasper and when it comes we'll work through it together."

Turning his lips to her palm he kissed her hand gently and smiled as best he could. "I don't want any of it to be true," he said truthfully.

"I know you don't," Bella replied. "But I need to know for sure. It's not that I don't believe you, or that I don't trust your word because I do. I just need to see the proof of it for myself before I decide what to do about it. Can you understand that?"

"Of course," Edward agreed and kissed her palm again. "You deserve to know the truth and I'll be here for you when it comes, whatever it turns out to be. I promise. I won't run away from it and I won't leave you alone to deal with it. You should make informed decisions for yourself."

"I didn't mean what I said, in the pressing shed," Bella whispered.

"Which part?"

"It was wrong of me to say you should fix your life before advising me on mine," she whispered. "If I'm going to be making decisions for myself from now on then you should probably think about doing the same. But if you don't want to then that's okay too."

Edward thought on that for just a second. "No. You were right. I shouldn't advise you what to do when I've done nothing about my situation for myself. You were right. I'll help you with all this and when the time comes I'll sort out my mess too. I don't know what Jasper is sending me but I'll do anything you need me to do to help you decide what you want. The decisions should be yours and you should have all the information to hand to make them. I won't influence them but I'll listen if you want to talk and I'll help any way I can. I'll do whatever you need me to do, I promise. I just don't want to be apart anymore."

"I don't want to be apart anymore either," Bella whispered as she stroked his cheek softly. "I'm so tired, Edward. Tired of worrying. Tired of being kept in the dark. Tired of feeling trapped and tired of being alone."

"Stay with me?" Edward asked without hesitation. "I'm tired of being alone too. I need to feel close to you. Stay with me, please," he begged.

Bella only took a few seconds to think on his question before getting to her feet and taking her hand from his face. She left her other hand in his and gave it a little tug until he was on his feet too. She knew she owed him an explanation before they went into his cabin and she was determined to give that to him right away.

She turned her left hand over and showed him her fingers. "I took my ring off because I don't want to marry Jacob Black," she announced firmly. "Whatever we find out tomorrow won't change that and the decision was nothing to do with anything you told me yesterday in that shed. I've never wanted to marry him. I don't love him. Hell, I don't even like him. I know he doesn't know yet, and I should tell him as soon as I can that I've changed my mind, but I wanted you to know so that when I say I'll stay with you that I come to you as just me and not an engaged woman."

As tired as he was Edward's smile was brilliant. He wanted to leap for joy. He wanted to run a victory lap around the cabin with his underpants on his head and he wanted to sweep her off her feet and celebrate her first real solo decision. But he couldn't and he didn't.

What he did do was cup her chin with his hand and kiss her gently on her lips. "We'll sleep Bella, just sleep. But thank you for telling me first."

She nodded her head in acknowledgement just once and then she allowed herself to be lead into his cabin. Edward told her that Emmett hadn't returned after his talk with Rose and that he wouldn't bat an eyelid even if he did and she was there.

Edward offered her a spare toothbrush and they stood side by side as they cleaned their teeth and washed their hands. He gave her a pair of soft flannel sleep pants and one of his t-shirts and told her to go ahead and change in the bathroom, that he'd change in the bedroom and when she returned – so lovely in his clothing, he thought – he held the blankets out for her as she slid into his bed beside him.

They were both nervous and excited to be so close because sleeping in the same bed as someone of the opposite sex was a big deal and a big step for them both. So when they were finally side by side, just the thin barrier of their clothing separating the lengths of their bodies, they were both silent from nerves.

The only sounds inside cabin two after that was Bella's soft giggle when his cold feet touched her calf and another when his icy fingers snaked around her waist to pull her up against his chest.

He kissed the point of her shoulder once she'd snuggled down into his arms and then he wished her a quiet goodnight.

Bella echoed his sentiment and closed her eyes to let the soft thump, thump, thump of his heartbeat lull her into the first restful sleep she'd had in days.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. **

**Please review. **


	13. Chapter 13

Tuesday morning at Crossroads produced a flurry of activity.

Rose and Emmett woke on her couch in a blind panic. He because he'd cried like a baby, twice, in front of the hottest, most beautiful woman he'd ever met. She because she'd slept on the couch with a guest.

They ran around the interior of her cabin like scurrying mice to get themselves presentable before attempting to make the mad dash to the administration block for Rose and back to his own cabin for Em.

Both were nervous, excited and worried about how the other felt about their shared kiss but neither had the courage to comment on it until they were stood just inside her door ready to leave and face the real world.

Rose desperately wanted to check who was likely to see them before going outside but didn't want Emmett to think she was ashamed to be seen with him.

Emmett wanted her to check because he really was worried what being seen with him could do to her reputation.

In the end Rose threw caution to the wind and pressed herself up against his chest at the door. She slid one hand around his waist and put the other into the hair at the back of his neck. She kissed him fiercely on the lips and then smiled the widest smile she could for him.

"I have to go to work now," she whispered. "But tonight, after dinner, will you come back here?"

Excited and a little bit stunned Emmett could only nod his agreement before she kissed him quickly once more and then went out into the bright sunshine.

He positively skipped to his own cabin and once he was inside it he put his back to the door and allowed himself a small, nervously excited grin before making his way to the shower.

* * *

It was the sound of Emmett in the shower that woke Edward and Bella.

They were right where they'd been when they'd gotten into the bed in the middle of the night. Bella's back to Edward's chest, and they were both sweating like racehorses after morning training sprints.

Edward had engulfed her completely. The entire front of him was pressed to the entire back of her. He held her tightly around the waist and his arm was tense and unforgiving when she tried to shift. He had no intention, even in his semi-sleep, of letting her go. His legs were wound through hers and his face was buried in her hair.

Neither wanted to move but both conceded the need to.

In a rush all their synapses began firing at once. Bella desperately needed the bathroom and Edward desperately needed to get the lower half of his body away from hers. His morning wood might be just that, morning wood and nothing he could help, but he was embarrassed about it all the same.

For Bella feeling his hardness against her butt came as a shock. She had no idea that it was an involuntary thing on his behalf and as she shot out of the bed she covered her mouth with her hand to keep the sound of her embarrassment secret. She also didn't want him to know that she'd thought about him in 'that way' in quiet moments in the dark, hidden under her blankets at night.

"I'm so sorry," Edward stammered as he tugged the blankets back over his waist.

"No...it's...really..." Bella mumbled from behind her hands as she turned around and faced the wall. She could feel her blush creeping up her neck and knew that it would be clearly visible if she faced him.

Edward was mortified. There was no other way to describe it. Mortification pretty much covered the gamut of emotions he was feeling as he sat up and slid his legs out the side of the bed and put his feet on the floor. "I'm not filthy," he moaned as quietly as he could and still be heard. "I swear I'd never do anything...I mean...I wasn't thinking anything inapprop...shit...I mean...I'm not thinking dirty...Jesus...I can't help it," he sighed in one big long sentence.

"Okay," was all Bella could say in reply. She snatched up her clothing from the dresser top and folded it into a tight ball before going to the bedroom door. "I'll see you at breakfast," she squeaked.

She slid on her shoes and grabbed her coat and ran out of that cabin as fast as she could. She was breathing heavily and her blush was hot and irritating as she closed her own cabin door behind her when she got there.

"No need to ask the audience," Angela giggled as Bella came into the cabin.

"What?" Bella asked with a start.

"I know where you've been," Angela giggled again, waggling her finger suggestively at her roommate. "No need to ask the audiences advice."

Bella flopped down onto the couch and buried her face into her hands. She couldn't quite decide what she was most embarrassed about. Angela knowing where she'd been or what she'd just run away from. "Nothing happened," she told Angela who was giggling quite heartily.

"Your blush says otherwise."

"It wasn't...I mean...we didn't...," Bella could only cringe further into her hands and figured that it was better to stay quiet than make the conversation any more awkward.

Angela, kind girl that she was at heart, didn't want her friend to feel embarrassed so she decided a mature language approach might be best with the obviously innocent Bella. Schoolgirl innuendos were more likely to frighten the hell out of her rather than make the whole situation light hearted and funny.

"When it does happen remember to be safe," she whispered. "If you want it to happen that is."

"I don't know what I want," Bella admitted and dropped her hands. She didn't turn to face her roommate – that would've made the discussion far too embarrassing – but she knew that Angela was offering advice and there was nobody else Bella could ask about this kind of thing.

"Then it's too soon to be doing anything," Angela said firmly. "I'm guessing you've never been with a man?" she asked carefully and when Bella confirmed that to be true Angela couldn't help but get a little bit excited for her friend. Edward was a great guy and they were well suited, anyone who saw them together would see that. Despite the way he'd behaved at the trivia night not withstanding Angela knew that they were both shy, inexperienced people and she was a little bit excited that they'd found one another. "The first time is a bit scary I'll admit. And you need to be really sure it's what you want to do when the time comes. But the most important thing is that you're safe about it."

"Oh god," Bella sighed, embarrassed again. "I have no idea what I'm doing," she giggled nervously.

"Does he?" Ange asked cautiously.

"No," Bella admitted and thanked her lucky stars that she didn't have to have _that_ conversation with Edward! "No. He's not been with anyone before. My first kiss was his too."

Thinking how very sweet that was Ange went and sat on the couch with her friend. "You can't talk about this kind of stuff with your mother, can you?" she asked as delicately as possible.

"No way," Bella all but shouted. "Definitely not. Besides, I'm supposed to be engaged and everyone at home knows it. There's no way I can talk to anyone there."

"Then consider me your local Yoda," Angela giggled.

"Wouldn't that be weird?" Bella asked hesitantly.

"I don't see why not," Angela shrugged. "Every girl should have someone to talk to about this stuff, especially around her first time. Don't be embarrassed," she begged of her friend. "It's much better to ask questions than to second guess after the fact," she winked.

"I guess so," Bella conceded. Her mind was spinning so quickly out of control she hardly knew where to start or what to ask first. Quite apart from the excitement of having spent the night with a man she still had a little bit of guilt and shame lurking in the back of her brain about being engaged to another man. No matter that in herself she didn't consider herself to be properly engaged she knew that she really was because she hadn't informed Jake of her change of heart as yet.

Couple that with the fact that everyone knew she was engaged and she began to panic at what others would be thinking of her character if they found out she'd spent the night in Edward's cabin.

Seeing the warring emotions on her friends face Angela offered a smile and a nod of encouragement. She could almost see the questions swirling around Bella's brain and she wondered what the first one was going to be. She guessed something about pain or size but got a bit of a shock when it was neither.

"I don't know if you'll know the answer to this one," Bella giggled and hid behind her hands again for a second. "This morning, when we woke up...um...Edward was um...you know?"

"He was hard," Angela finished for her, surprised just how innocent her friend was. She really was expecting the 'pain' question. Seems the couple was way, way less experienced than she'd thought. "Yeah, that happens," she chuckled. "They can't help it you know? Sometimes it happens because of dreams or when they wake up you're right there, you know, in the general vicinity," she giggled. "But sometimes it's none of that. Sometimes it's about having a full bladder and sometimes it isn't from anything at all."

"Oh," Bella sighed, grateful for the information and it's no nonsense delivery. "But he seemed really worried about it. Like I'd think it was dirty or something. He even made sure to tell me that he wasn't filthy. What's that about? I mean, I didn't react well when I felt it, I'll admit that. I sort of shot out of the bed pretty fast, but I wasn't grossed out or anything. I just didn't know what to say or where to look."

"Ahh, I see," Ange snorted as she got to her feet. "You better jump in the shower or we'll miss breakfast. I'll explain some stuff about that on the way down there, I promise."

On the short walk to the dining hall Bella was informed that two virgins were going to be pretty freaked out by normal reactions and by each other's bodies at the start. She also learned that it got easier, and much more fun, once both players gained a little confidence. As Bella was learning for herself communication was the key to everything. Edward was the only one who could explain to her what he was feeling and Bella should ask if she needed to know. Turnabout, it seemed, was fairplay and that Bella should be open and honest if Edward asked her what she was feeling, or what she wanted from him.

Just before they got to the dining hall doors Angela put her hand on Bella's arm and pulled them both to a stop. Leaning in she whispered into Bella's ear, "There's protection in the top drawer in our bathroom. Let's call it an honesty system," she giggled. "Replace them when they're gone and never, ever use the last one in a box without a replacement box on hand."

While Bella was receiving intimacy advice from her roommate Edward took his turn in the bathroom and once he was changed into clean clothes he walked with his own roommate to the dining hall for breakfast. On the walk he asked what had happened with Rose and how much trouble they were in.

"We'll have to pay the excess on her car insurance and probably for the potty too," Emmett explained. "If she asks it was nothing to do with you. I'll sort it," he assured.

"I had visions of the police getting involved this time," Ed sighed as they reached the hall.

"Nah, nothing like that," Emmett replied. "Rosie's cool as long as we fix it. I'll sort out the money situation, pay the winner and let you know how much is left once we cover the insurance costs."

"Keep it," Edward told his friend as they fronted the hot bar and began to fill their plates. "I think I'm done gambling for cash," he chuckled. "A short but illustrious career..." he chuckled. "I got paid to teach a kid the piano yesterday so I think I'll be okay for spending money for a bit."

"That's great, Ed," Emmett said with real pride. "And I reckon I'll give the pranks away for a bit too," he admitted as he piled his plate high with bacon. "A not so short and very illustrious career for me," he laughed. He took another egg for good measure and then his face took on a more serious expression. "You and Bella sort out your shit?" he asked as they made their way towards their usual table.

"Some of it, yeah," Edward told his friend around a mouthful of scrambled eggs a few seconds later. "A bit more to wade through but I think we'll get there."

"Good, good," Emmett grinned as he tore a piece of toast into squares. Holding one piece and pointing it at Edward across the table his face lost all traces of its smile and took on a startlingly sinister expression. "You hurt her and I'll beat your ass, friend or not, right?"

Edward nodded and continued eating his breakfast. He'd expect nothing else from Emmett and mentally vowed to never hurt or upset her again if he could help it.

He couldn't help but watch Bella as she walked across the hall to the servery. She was laughing and talking with Angela and looked so beautiful and carefree he couldn't help but grin over his own toast as he watched her.

"Tell her she doesn't need to sneak out in the mornings," Emmett chuckled as Edward choked on his toast.

"Nothing happened," Edward explained as soon as he'd dislodged the piece of bread from his gullet. "I swear, nothing happened. I didn't touch her. We just slept. But how did you know she was there?"

Em held his hands up in surrender and grinned at his friend. "None of my business what you two do," he chuckled. "Her coat was on the back of the couch and her shoes were outside your room when I came in and they were both gone when I came out. Pretty simple deduction," he chuckled.

"Shit, yeah, I guess," Edward mumbled.

"Just so you know," Emmett whispered, leaning across the table so he wouldn't be overheard, "Top drawer in our bathroom's got a box of rubbers in it. Replace them before you hit the bottom of the box so a brother doesn't get left short and we'll be all good."

Edward didn't know where to look or what to say so he simply nodded. The tips of his ears felt hot and his stomach was in knots.

"Calm down, mate," Emmett soothed when he noticed the look of terror on his friends face. "I'm just saying you gotta be safe. I'm not making any judgements."

"It's not that," Edward croaked.

"Then spill," Emmett suggested as he tore another piece of toast in half.

Edward took a second to make sure the two girls were still occupied at the servery and then leaned over and whispered, "I freaked her out this morning. I woke up _hard_, you know...and she leapt out of the bed with a fright. She freaked and then I freaked...and...shit," he hissed.

Emmett considered that for just half a second before smiling, dimples and all. "You sure it was out of fright and she wasn't just embarrassed or nervous?" he asked and when Edward shrugged he continued. "You ever been with a girl before?" he asked.

"No, and she's never been with a guy either."

"Well then there's your answer, mate," Emmett grinned. "Nerves, embarrassment, a tiny bit of fear of the unknown and no squealing group of girlfriends around to talk to about it all. Simple. And a simple fix. You gotta talk to her. And you gotta listen to her too," he said, pointing the strip of toast at Edward across the table again. "No means no. Every time. Not just sometimes. No grey area. No take backs. No do overs. No mulligan. Every time. We clear?"

"Jesus Christ. I'm not a Neanderthal. Of course," Edward hissed, offended that Emmett would think he could do that to anyone.

"Good. So. Talk to her. Ask what she wants and what she likes. You're gonna be embarrassed and shit scared the first few times. That's normal and pretty fun if I remember correctly," he chuckled. "And if you freak out don't run away from her or the situation, they hate that shit. But, if she freaks out you gotta let her run though. I know it makes no sense but that's how it works. They hate it when you corner them and they hate it when you try and force them to deal before they're ready. There's different rules for us guys."

It sounded like good advice to Edward so he soaked up every word. And then a question hit him upside the head. "Hey, where were you coming from this morning? Were you in town?" he asked.

Emmett's chuckle and little shake of his head intrigued Edward and he was about to ask where his roommate had actually spent the night when Em offered the information without the need for the question. "I was with Rose. Nothing happened there either though. It's complicated."

"I'm learning that it always is," Edward sighed just as Bella and Angela made the table a quartet. "Morning," he said with a smile to a beaming Bella and an amused Angela.

* * *

Rose returned her messages and made the initial arrangements for the repair of her car and for the removal and return of the damaged toilet as soon as she got into her office that morning.

She organised two of the gardening crew to take a fire hose out to the carpark to wash away any lingering residue from the day befores incident and then arranged for two of the kitchen hands to douse the area with disinfectant once it was done.

She was printing out the pages she'd been looking at from the internet regarding Emmett when she got an email from Jasper warning her that her fax machine was about to receive the mother load.

Within seconds her machine began announcing the arrival of the pages and for the next fifteen minutes it spewed page after page of legal looking documents from its depths. As requested Rose didn't read them. She collated them and made sure they stayed in order as the machine gave them up, but she didn't read them. If Jasper said they were confidential then Rose would respect that.

Her interest was piqued though. She was only human.

The machine had only just given up the last page when Edward knocked on her door asking for them. She slid them into a manila folder and handed the whole lot over with a smile. She accepted his apology for the part he'd played in the day befores escapade and then sent him off with a smile.

Something was cooking there, she knew without being told. She'd had no idea that Jasper knew Edward and vice versa and as she watched the taxi pull up and both Edward and Bella – as well as the folder of documents – get into it, she wondered what the pair were up to. She wondered if the pair was actually a trio, if Jasper was involved in whatever was happening.

Her musings were interrupted when another taxi pulled up and Emmett got into it. She hoped he wasn't heading to town to spend the day in the pub but knew that it was his decision to make.

She had no time to ponder either scenario because Tyler chose that moment to arrive for their meeting and she had to set aside thoughts of Emmett and his soft, pliable lips.

* * *

Emmett wasn't heading for the pub. He was going much, much further afield than that. He paid for the cab from some of his winnings and stepped onto the rail platform with only seconds to spare before the train arrived.

He changed trains at the foot of the mountain and again in the heart of the city. He rode a tram out into the northern suburbs and then took a bus to his childhood home.

He'd called ahead so he knew that his parents and sister would be waiting for him as he stepped over the threshold, but his brain was still hopeful that the house would be empty when he got there. It was a cowardly thought but Emmett hated confrontation and he knew that's exactly what he was instigating with this visit.

His mother greeted him with a smile and a soft hello, his father nodded at him over the top of his newspaper but his sister threw herself into his arms the second he stepped into the kitchen.

He held her longer than he normally would and as she pulled away and stepped back she eyed him long and hard. She was a quick study and she knew something was 'up' with him without needing to be told.

Emmett didn't come home if he could help it. He rarely called and he didn't drop by for visits. If he wanted to see Gemima he called her directly and they met either at her work or somewhere public. He hadn't lived in the family home for eight years and yet he had no actual home of his own. He'd lived on campus or in campus housing since leaving high school and since being expelled he'd been at camp. So his arrival was both interesting and completely unexpected to his family.

"Coffee?" his mother asked as he took a seat at the kitchen table.

"Thanks," he smiled and tapped the cork coaster in front of himself. "How's things?" he asked his sister as she took a seat opposite his.

"I've applied for a research grant," she beamed. "Good chance of getting it too."

"Awesome," Emmett said smilingly and really meant it. "And how's the jerk treating you?" he chuckled.

'The jerk' was Em's affectionate name for his sisters long term boyfriend, Steven. Emmett actually liked the guy but he'd broken his sisters heart by ditching her after high school believing that he was holding her back and that they were too young to be so serious. Of course they'd gotten back together soon after, but Emmett had never really forgiven the guy for making his sister cry that one time and so he had been known as the jerk ever since.

"He's great too," his sister trilled. "He's just leaving Cambodia and is going to Vietnam next. Only two more months and he'll be home again!"

The jerk had been on a university exchange in South East Asia for the past four months and his sister had been pining for him the whole time.

"We'll have a beer when he gets back," Em offered begrudgingly knowing it would make his sister happy. Her smile told him it did.

He thanked his mother when she put a cup of coffee in front of him and waited for her to take her seat at the other end of the table, by his father's elbow.

"How's camp?" Gemima asked.

Em was grateful to her. She'd opened the can of worms he needed open but couldn't bring himself to unleash himself. "It's actually pretty good," he shrugged.

His father finally put his newspaper down at the mention of camp and looked over the rims of his glasses as he spoke. "You've only been there a month," he began. "Don't tell me we finally found a place that has a chance of sorting you out? And in good time too?"

Em did his best to keep his temper in check and to keep his expressions bland as he replied. "It's been a good month," he told his father truthfully. "I like it there. A lot of very nice people." He took a small sip of his coffee and steeled himself to begin the discussion he'd come for. "Look, I know we've talked about this before and I know we can't agree on it, but I wanted to try and talk about it with you again. I came to tell you that I'm not going back to university, even if there is one that'll take me."

His father reacted the way he always reacted to this conversation and as his fist pounded the table top Emmett rescued his coffee cup with half a second to spare.

"You will go back and you will graduate," his father bellowed as he hovered over Emmett in his seat. "No son of mine will be uneducated and unemployable. This is not negotiable. You can stay at that camp for the entire three months, I agreed to let you go for that long and I don't intend to renege on that deal. But when your time there is up you _will_ come back here. You _will_ live here with your mother and I so that we can keep an eye on you and you _will_ be starting your final year over again. La Trobe won't have you but Monash will," he shouted.

Turning his eyes to his mother Emmett pled with her silently but as was usual it was to no avail.

A doctor in her own right she had given up her private practice to see to her children and with it she seemed to have given up her right to an opinion too. Emmett had met his mothers friends from when she'd been a young adult, before she'd become a mother and they all said that same thing of her. She used to be a strong willed, strong minded woman with clear goals and ideas.

Since marrying his father and becoming a mother she'd lost her voice. His father made the decisions for the family. His father made decisions for her. Emmett hated it and he knew that Gemima hated it too, but what could they do if their mother didn't want to make an issue out of it for herself?

"Listen to your father," was his mother's only comment before she returned her eyes to her lap.

Emmett wondered where the fierce, professional woman had gone that he'd heard about as he looked at her across the table. Why hadn't she gone back to her profession once he and his sister had come of age? Why didn't she have any hobbies or interests of her own?

Deep down he knew the answer. His father. His father had instilled his will on her just like he'd always tried to do with his children. Gemima had gone along with it because she truly was interested in medicine but Emmett could see for himself that their mother no longer had the will, or the desire, to go against him.

"I'm sorry mum," Emmett said truthfully as he got to his feet. "I really am sorry. But this time I just can't. You can stay here and let him decide what's best for your life, that's your right, but I just can't," he said sadly to his mother before turning to his father.

At six feet four Emmett towered over his dad but he'd never tried to use his height to his advantage before, but his brain was telling him that now might be a good time to give it a whirl, if only to lend credence to his decision. Shaking off that thought he tried to remain passive in both stance and attitude. It was with some difficulty that he kept his shoulders hunched and stood in a submissive position, hoping to stave off any confrontation that could lead to either physical posturing or violence.

"I've spent a fortune on your education!" his father roared as Emmett shuddered and Gemima cringed away in fear. "I've spent a fucking fortune bailing you out of stupid situations too! You embarrass me and your mother at every turn and yet I still keep paying for it all. When you start paying for your own fuck ups you'll get to make decisions for yourself but until that happens you'll do exactly what I fucking tell you to do, boy."

Em could feel the anger rolling off his dad in waves but wasn't deterred. He kept a passive stance and gave his sister a small nod so she'd know he was in control of his temper. He'd expected the words chosen by his father, and the anger behind them, and mostly he agreed with them. His father _had_ spent a lot of money on him over the years and most of it _had_ gone towards paying for mistakes rather than successes.

He didn't want to fight with the man because he loved him. But right then he didn't like him very much and that gave him the courage to once and for all, finally inform his father how things were going to be in the future.

He didn't exactly 'front' the older McCarty man but Emmett did square up to him. He squared his shoulders and for once he did rise to his full height. He looked him right in the eye as he spoke and his voice didn't quiver at all. "Dad, I love you, but this is my life and I decided a long time ago that I didn't want to be a doctor. I **won't** become a doctor. I should've been stronger and made you understand that a long time ago. I'm sorry that's a disappointment to you and I'm sorry that I've embarrassed you, and mum, in the past. But if I let you bully me into this I'll never be really happy. There isn't anything you can do or say that will change my mind about this. You never did have to bail me out of anything you know. If you'd listened to what I was trying to tell you all these years...well, I guess that doesn't matter anymore now. I don't want anything from you, and I don't need anything from you, so please don't degrade us both by threatening to cut me off again. I can make my own way," he said firmly.

When his father was silent Emmett took that as discussion over and turned away from his dad. It was quite a shock to be yanked back by a firm grip to his upper arm and as he was spun around he came face to face with his father's fury.

"Don't you fucking walk away from me you ungrateful little bastard," his dad spat as he yanked again on Emmett's arm. "I'll tell you when you can leave," he spluttered but Emmett had already heard enough.

He sent a slight nod to his sister who rose from her seat and put a steadying hand on their mothers shaking shoulder. Only one he was sure that Gemima was ready and willing to whisk their mother away did he give his attention back to his father.

He used just two fingers to prise his father's hand from his arm and then he craned his neck and allowed the tiniest little bit of his temper to come to the surface. "I am neither little nor a bastard but I suppose you could make a case for ungrateful," he seethed into his father's shocked face. "Don't ever touch me in anger again, dad. If I hurt you in self defence I'd never forgive myself," he hissed from between clenched teeth. "I didn't want it to be this way. I just wanted to talk but I can see that you don't want to listen. Your loss I guess. I'm going to leave now because I don't want to upset the girls any more than they already are. I've said what I came here to say so I'll just leave now."

Emmett took a deep breath as he headed down the hallway. He was proud of himself for holding his temper at bay and even prouder that he'd said everything he'd intended to say. He hadn't even really raised his voice.

As he passed the living room arch his father began to bellow after him. Emmett didn't break stride as he marched down the length of the house towards the front door.

"If you leave don't call me for money, Emmett. I won't support you if you walk away from all I've done for you," his father shouted but Emmett was done.

Really done this time. He had no intention of ever asking for money again and the kind of support his father had offered in the past only made Emmett unhappy. He was done and he was settled and happy with his choices for once so he simply kept right on walking.

Gemima was quick on her feet and followed him down the hall and into the foyer, but his mother sat right where she'd been during the entire altercation. She neither said anything nor moved. It was as though she was relieved that he was leaving and that hurt Emmett more than his father's angry words.

"You'll call me, won't you?" Gemima sobbed into her brothers broad shoulder as she hugged him hard at the door.

Emmett kissed her hair and held onto her tightly. "Yeah, of course I will, I promise," he told her before kissing her again. "I love you kiddo, you know I do, but I can't be who they want me to be and I'm so tired of trying and failing," he told her honestly.

Patting his cheek fondly Gemima offered him a small smile. "You failed because it wasn't what you wanted for yourself," she whispered as though she was afraid to be overheard by her now loudly arguing parents in the other room. "That's their failure not yours. I can't wait to see who you become," she whispered behind her tears and hugged him again. "I love you big brother," she told him firmly, staring into his baby blues.

"Me too," he agreed and smiled back. "Tell the jerk we'll have that beer when he gets back," he said and then went out through the door.

He only got to the bottom step before his sister ran out of the house and called him back. Had it been anyone else Emmett would've kept right on walking until he reached the bus stop at the end of the street. But it was his little sister so he stopped and turned. She caught him up and put a set of keys into his palm. "She's yours, you should take her with you," she said and then ran back into the house without another word.

Staring down at the keys in his hand and then over to the side of the driveway where the row of prestige cars stood proudly, Emmett grinned and tossed the keys into the air before catching them. Gemima was right. It was his. She was his. He'd gotten her fair and square and he knew just what he was going to do with her.

He slid into the leather seat and took a good long sniff. Quality. The car smelled like quality.

"Hello old girl," he said fondly as he ran his hand over the perfectly preserved leather dash. "What do you say to a trip up the mountain?" he asked as he turned the engine over.

Of course it started on the first try. His father loved this car and had polished and maintained it in perfect condition even though Emmett owned it outright. The last thing he saw of his childhood home was an image that would stay with him forever.

His father was running down the driveway, arms in the air, bellowing loudly about Emmett being a bastard for taking away the beloved car.

* * *

For the second day running Edward sat in the beer garden of the pub nursing a glass of beer. This time though he wasn't alone.

Bella sat opposite with a glass of cider in front of her.

They'd pulled another table over and butted it up against theirs so they could spread out all of the pages Jasper had sent and together they were wading through it all.

After half an hour they switched pages and the reading began again.

Edward ordered them another drink each and proudly paid for them with his earnings from the piano lesson he'd given. They both read some more, each of them making short notes in the margins of certain passages and then they switched pages again.

When they'd both read everything Jasper had sent – barring the personal page he'd sent just for Edward's eyes that he'd folded and tucked into the back pocket of his jeans – Bella ordered them both a shot of scotch.

It burned on its way down but warmed them both from the inside. Neither knew what to say so Bella went for the obvious.

"It's all true," she hissed.

"Yeah," Edward mumbled. Sickened and saddened that he'd been right and that it hurt her so much.

"I didn't want to believe it."

"I didn't want to tell you."

"I'm so glad it came from you," Bella sighed and reached across the table for his hand. "You're the only person who's ever been straight with me. Thank you for that."

Edward put his hand into hers and squeezed gently. "I'm so sorry it couldn't be something good that I was straight with you about."

Bella thought on that for a minute and then shook her head. "No. You're looking at this all wrong. It is a good thing. At least I think it will be. Eventually. Sure it hurts to know that my father could stoop this low, and I can't imagine it's a very nice feeling for you to know what your fathers capable of either, but this is a good thing. Not what they're doing obviously. But that I know about it. I can't change it, or do anything about it if I don't know."

Edward was stunned at her generosity of heart. "Can you forgive me my part in all this?" he asked from a thickened throat.

Bella cocked an eyebrow and chewed on her bottom lip for a second and she smiled the most magnificent, confident smile he'd ever seen her produce. She squeezed his hand tighter and leaned across the table. "You played no part in this mess," she announced firmly. "And the proof is all around me. It was you who told me what was going on. It was you who came clean. It was you who got yourself upset over it before you even told me you knew about it. You have nothing to feel bad about. Nothing."

Stunned, grateful and relieved Edward tugged a little too hard on her hand to bring it to his lips, her belly shoving the table and making their glasses wobble dangerously as she came over and across the table towards him. "Thank god," he whispered across her knuckles. "Thank god."

Satisfied that that part of it was now behind them, and pleased that Edward could now let go of his guilt and upset over it all, Bella made her way around the table and took the chair next to his. With her hand still in his she rested her head on his shoulder and sighed heavily. "I need a favour," she said quietly and smiled when Edward replied with a firm 'anything' right away. "Will you be there with me when I call Allie and Jaz? I need a game plan, and end game, and I need you to be with me while I work it out."

Taking his free hand and cupping it to her cheek Edward encouraged her to lift her head from his shoulder and as she lifted her eyes and they met his he smiled widely. "I meant it when I said anything," he whispered before covering her lips with his.

Two hours later, after switching to orange juice to keep their minds clear, the pair decided to get a head start on that end game and after another hour they had a page of potential fallout scenarios mapped out. In all of them their respective parents lost a lot of money. In each scenario the relationship between parent and child would be stretched to breaking point. Every eventuality hurt someone and most of them saw Bella with no place to live, no income and possibly without any other ally other than Edward.

Edward was fine with that. He was more than fine with that. But he knew that Bella was scared. That her world was about to change in fundamental ways and that she'd never had to fend for herself before either. Edward was determined to ride that wave with her if he needed to.

It was too soon to pledge his undying allegiance to her, he knew that. But he also knew that if it came about that the worst case scenario became their reality he'd be there, at her side, out on the street without a job or anywhere to live too.

He had nothing to lose by standing by her side. If his parents disowned him for his part in sabotaging the project he'd wear that. Actually, when it came right down to it he'd be happy with that. It would save him from having to disown his parents himself.

It would also be the easy way out of his job. He had no doubt that his father would purge him from the family business if it ever came out that it was Edward who 'outed' the group. For Edward it was both frightening and a great relief.

Knowing it was too soon they didn't speak about those eventualities that saw them together somewhere. It was implied, but neither put strong voice to the option. Edward knew without needing to think on it that he wanted to be with Bella. In any capacity. As friends, lovers, married, roommates...hell...he'd clean her toilet and do her dishes if the only way she wanted him in her life was as a houseboy he'd do it.

Bella wanted Edward in her life too. She had no idea how to explain that, or even if she should, so she said nothing despite Angela's advice to communicate openly.

There was too much going on outside of their budding relationship to get into that right then. So instead Bella ran those scenarios around only in her mind.

Of course Edward couldn't know it but Bella had money. Real money. Money that was just hers and it was a healthy amount that would set them both up and get them a start at the very least. Maybe not enough to buy a house in the suburbs their families resided in, but enough to buy something small and tide them over until they could get jobs.

But Edward didn't know that and Bella couldn't tell him yet. He'd come to camp with nothing of his own and she didn't want to make him feel bad that he couldn't contribute to any plans they might make yet. It didn't matter in the least for Bella. She'd give him everything she had and never blink an eyelash over it.

He could get a job teaching piano and she could go to school. Maybe she could get a scholarship, her grades were good enough and she'd already been accepted to a couple of good colleges before her parents had told her no, so maybe she could do a few small courses and then apply again for the new school year?

Maybe Edward could go to music school or do a teaching degree? Maybe his business degrees would give him a foot in the door for that? Maybe he could use the degrees he already had and start a music school of his own and run it as his own business? Hell, if Pete knew what he was talking about and Edward really was as good as he'd said he was maybe Edward could just teach piano at college right away?

She could help him. He could help her. They could study together and if they got into the same school they could share a place and it wouldn't have to be about a relationship if he didn't want it to be. She could still see him every day if they lived together close to campus. They could cook together and share chores. They could talk all night and watch movies any time they wanted.

Just as friends at first, maybe, possibly. Maybe if he agreed they could move in together just for convenience and then she could make him see that they could have more? Because Bella already knew she wanted more.

But there was a tiny little portion of Bella's mind that wondered if Edward wanted a life like that with her? A real life. Where they lived in a house together, just the two of them. As adults that did adult things together. Adults that shared a bed and their bodies and minds. Maybe even a marriage of sorts. She didn't even know if Edward believed in marriage!

But what she did know for sure was that if Edward agreed she'd live with him as his friend, or roommate or any other connotation he wanted to label it as.

Pulled from their individual thoughts and fantasies by a waitress coming to collect their empty glasses they both smiled shyly at one another and tried to push down their personal desires.

If felt too soon, for both of them, to be openly making long term plans with one another. They both wanted to but neither wanted to be the first to say so. So they both sat and stared at the page of notes they'd made.

On the upside of each of their scenarios was Bella being free of her arranged marriage to Jake. But the hardest part of it all for Bella was deciding whether she was willing to sacrifice her family's wealth and security for the sake of her own happiness.

Edward desperately wanted to point out that her father had gambled her happiness in order to bolster the family coffers, but couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

The choices were easy ones for Edward. He had nothing to lose from Bella backing out of the marriage and everything to gain. His father would lose a lot of money but having never had any of his own Edward couldn't feel bad about that.

Deciding to sleep on it the pair headed back to camp in the early afternoon. They ate dinner with their friends at their regular table and then went back to Edward's cabin for a drink and to try to relax as best they could.

The page Jasper had sent just for Edward's eyes was burning a hole in his pocket but Edward wouldn't give up one second of private time with Bella in order to read it, so it stayed in his pocket. Unread and forgotten while the pair did their best to keep their hands to themselves until after they were really alone.

Emmett excused himself after a shower and a change of clothes and told them both not to wait up for him. It was only after Edward was sure that Emmett was far enough away from the cabin that he told Bella that Em had stayed the previous night in Rose' cabin.

* * *

When Emmett knocked on her cabin door Rose was still reeling from her meeting with Tyler.

He was a good guy with a good heart and she trusted him implicitly. But the information he'd gotten from Jasper made her blood run cold.

Pressuring someone into a life they didn't want was one thing. Using your daughter as leverage for financial gain was quite another.

Tyler had looked shocked and appalled as he recounted his conversation with Jasper and it left Rose feeling the same once she'd been filled in. There were no specifics, just vague references to handshake business deals that had invaded both property, business and politics in the States. Jasper hadn't been able to give too many details but from what Tyler was able to piece together the scenario rather vaguely and the bottom line was that Isabella Swan was being used as a pawn by her own father.

Rose had always recognised the pressure Bella was under from home but now...now that pressure seemed far more insidious than even Rose had imagined.

Her depth of sympathy and empathy for the girl knew no bounds and she promised Tyler and by extension Jasper that she'd do whatever they needed to her to do to help Bella get herself out from under the dark cloud that hung over her head.

Rose had no idea what that help might entail, but both she and Tyler recognised how important Edward might be to the outcome. Any assistance they could give that would ensure that those two remained 'close' was agreed upon easily.

Rose had spent the morning planning a 'report' for Tyler to construct to send home to Bella's mother and for the first time since her guest had come to stay Rose understood the importance of the fake report.

Together they mapped out a strategy to not only keep Bella's mother unaware of her daughters activities but to also support and encourage the girl to find her feet on her own. The idea that Bella would have a little fun at camp and then go home to go through with the awful marriage anyway made Rose feel ill. Tyler felt the same and also pledged his time and effort to help both Bella and Edward come through the awful situation whole.

Rose looked drawn and tired as she opened the door to a grinning Emmett. He was quick to ask if she was alright and just as quick to offer to leave her to an early night if she wasn't up to having company when she explained that she'd had a bad day in the office.

"No," Rose told a concerned Em. "I could use a distraction," she said as she ushered him inside. "I mean, I don't think you're just a distraction. That came out wrong. Sorry. Um, what I mean is...shit..." she chuckled. "I had a rough day and I'm glad you're here. Come on in, please."

After refusing her offer of a beer Emmett took out the set of keys his sister had given him and dangled them from his index finger. "In the carpark you'll find a 1981 Bentley Mulsanne," he chuckled as he swung the keys back and forth. "She's all yours until your car is fixed," he told a gaping Rose. He put the keys into her hand and closed her fingers around them gently. "I really am sorry for the damage I caused. Please say you'll use her until yours is repaired."

"Where on earth did you get it?" Rose asked without thinking.

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you're thinking," Emmett barked, offended at her shrug. "It was my granddads. He left it to me and it's been sitting in my parents driveway for the past three years. But she's in perfect condition and she runs like a dream."

"Why haven't you been driving it?" she asked.

"Her," he corrected automatically. "She's a she," he chuckled. This time it was Emmett who shrugged before answering her previous question. "I haven't been sober enough long enough to be able to drive her I guess."

Just how sad that statement was Rose couldn't articulate so she simply said thank you for the loan of the car and lead Emmett to the couch. She made coffee for them both and then settled onto the end of the couch with her cup between her hands.

"What did you get up to today? I saw you leaving early," she asked, suddenly nervous to be alone with him after sharing the kiss the night before. The air between them felt heavy, as though they were both avoiding speaking of things better left unsaid.

Neither liked the feeling but neither was willing to reference their growing feelings of lust, desire and perhaps just the tiniest little bit of new love for one another.

Emmett took a long time sipping his drink before replying and to Rose it looked as though he was thinking over his words carefully before sharing them. "I went to talk to my family," he said quietly before taking another long sip. "You were right you know? What you said last night. My parents know how unhappy I am and it doesn't matter to them. I deserve better than that because I love them anyway, despite all that, I love them anyway. So I went home and I told them that I wasn't going to become a doctor once and for all."

Rose was both proud and shocked at the same time. "How did it feel to say it?" she asked.

"Fucking scary," Em chuckled but his face clouded over and Rose knew that wasn't all he'd felt. "I guess it was freeing in a way. To finally say it and know that I meant it. That no matter what they tried to bribe me with, or what they threatened me with, it wasn't going to matter because I meant it. That part felt good."

"What response did you get?"

"The usual. I'm a bastard. No, wait. This time I was an ungrateful little bastard," Emmett chuckled but there was no humour behind it. Just sadness. "It's okay though. My dad was just angry, he didn't really mean it."

Hoping that was true Rose put her hand on top of his and squeezed. "Did you get to see your sister?" she asked.

This time his smile was genuine. His dimples popped and his eyes lit up. "Yeah. She's great. Really great. She's really supportive and I know that this won't change our relationship at all."

"I know it might not mean much but I'm really proud of you," Rose whispered and squeezed his hand again.

He didn't meet her eyes but he did respond. "That actually means a lot," he whispered.

Removing her hand Rose sat back against the arm of the couch and folded her legs underneath herself. "So what's the plan going forward for you then?" she asked.

"That's where things get a little murky," Em laughed. "I've got eight weeks left here to sober up and get my shit together and then I guess I'd better start looking for a job and somewhere to live."

"Have you lived at home all this time?" she asked.

"No, not since high school," Emmett confessed. "I've always had campus housing and for a while in my fourth year I lived in a share house with some guys from my course. But they eventually graduated and moved on so I went back to Suicide City."

Suicide City was the name given to the high-rise apartment buildings that flanked the major university campuses in Melbourne city proper. They were dark, bleak rat holes that housed the attending students and they had a nasty reputation for being ideal places for depressed and stressed out students to end their lives by jumping from the balconies on the upper floors.

"I know it's none of my business, but do you have any money of your own stashed away?"

"Not a cent," Emmett confessed sadly. "I got a good chunk when I turned twenty-one, but I bet you can guess what I did with that. All I've got to my name is what's in my duffel bag and that car," he said as he nodded towards the front of camp where he'd parked her.

"Okay, well that's not so bad," Rose said thoughtfully. "People have started out with a lot less. We'll worry about where you're going to live when the time comes, but for now let's get you healthy and in a good head space. How's that sound?" she asked.

"Good place to start," he agreed.

"Have you had a drink today?"

"Not a one," Em said truthfully. "And I gotta say I'm pinging for one."

"I know you are," Rose said truthfully. "But you'll make better decisions with a clear head. Nobody says you can't drink at all. Maybe just temper the intake a little?"

"Yeah," Em conceded. "I know you're right but thanks for not lecturing me about it."

"Not my place," Rose insisted kindly. "So, I've been thinking about your little obsession with explosives," she chuckled and reached for the stack of pages on the coffee table. "Ever heard of a mob called Explosives Training Australia?"

"Nope," Emmett answered truthfully as he began flicking through the pages.

"They're just one of half a dozen groups that offer courses in fireworks and explosives training. They even run courses for the mining industry and for demolition companies. There's an expression of interest page on the internet you can fill out and they'll send you a heap of information. That stuffs just the bits and pieces I could find with a quick search. Sound like something you might be interested in?" she asked hesitantly, well aware that she might be seriously overstepping some boundaries.

"Blowing shit up for a living?" he asked idly without lifting his eyes from the pages.

"I don't see why not. People need things blown up. Legitimately blown up, not just for pranks," Rose giggled. "I can't say that you're very good at it but enthusiasm and a lack of self preservation seem like pretty good qualities to have for a professional powder monkey to me."

"Powder monkey," Emmett whispered more to himself than for conversations sake. "I'd have to sell the car to pay for courses like these," he said, pointing to the top page.

"It is pretty expensive," Rose agreed. "What's a car like that worth?"

"She's in good condition and she's got all the bells and whistles so maybe ten grand to the right buyer," Emmett shrugged.

"If you could get that much you could pay for a course and buy a cheap car to get yourself around," Rose encouraged thinking it was a pretty sound idea.

"I could," Em sighed. "I guess."

"I know she means a lot to you, but could you part with her to give yourself a shot at a job like this?" she asked, tapping the page he held in his hand.

Emmett read through a little bit more of the information and could feel himself getting excited at the prospect of a job blowing shit up. "Yeah, I think I could. I mean, granddad gave her to me and I know he loved her as much as I do, but I mean, I think I could like a job like this one," he said, holding up the page and showing her which course he was considering.

Rose worked hard not to show how relieved she was that he was taking more of an interest in the fireworks information than the far more dangerous mining or demolition parts.

Instead she offered him a small smile and took the pages from his hands. She put them in a pile onto the coffee table and then she slid across the couch until she was facing him as best she could. "I like you Em," she whispered nervously. "You drive me nuts," she giggled, "But a good kind of nuts. I think we have a lot in common and I know that we could be good for each other. I know you've got a lot on your mind, and you're going to have to make a lot of tough decisions about your life very soon, so you don't need to be thinking about your love life right now. But I wanted to let you know that I like you. I _really_ like you."

Emmett was stunned. He'd thought about very little other than the beautiful, headstrong director of Crossroads since almost the first second he'd stepped off the bus and here she was telling him she liked him. Liked him liked him.

She'd been brave enough to put voice to what they'd both been thinking and Emmett was grateful. Grateful that she was brave enough for the two of them. Grateful that she hadn't excommunicated him for his behaviour since coming to camp and grateful that she seemed to be able to see past his childish exterior.

As Emmett slid his hand into her hair and tugged her forward he couldn't help but smile. Sure, he'd just effectively cut ties with his parents and he was homeless, unemployed and he had a serious case of the DT's but she liked him. Liked him liked him. "Blondie, I gotta tell ya, the timing might be all fucking wrong but I like you too." He kissed her softly once, twice and then a third time before pulling away and grinning at her, dimples and all. "And you drive me nuts too. The good kind of nuts."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. **

**Please review. **


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